Daughter of Breast Cancer Survivor Plans 5k Walk of Faith

It's not often you get to walk in the name of one of your personal heroes. But that's what Indian Hills Senior Theresa Leskaukas will do Sunday afternoon.

Theresa's mother Gerianne was first diagnosed with Stage IV breast cancer in 2004, when the when the Indian Hills student was in 6^th grade. It was the first of three dire diagnoses her mother would  receive, one of them being a false positive diagnosis last year. But after battling back from the brink time after time, Theresa's mother is still by her side today, and at the moment cancer free.

"My mom is a fighter," Theresa said. "She never gave up.  She's extremely strong. There have been moments of weakness when it looked like all was lost, but she never gave up hope because of her faith. That's gotten us through this."

On Sunday Theresa, along with her friend Erica Gormley who lost a grandmother to the disease, will be holding a 5K Breast Cancer Walk at Darlington County Park in Mahwah to raise money for Memorial Sloan-Kettering Center Breast Cancer Research Center. Asking for $13 and $20 donations the girls say they’ve raised about $1,600 so far and expect about 150 participants in Sunday’s event from 1:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m.

Described by her mother and father as a reserved, sometimes shy 18-year-old, Theresa, who will be attending Ava Maria University in Naples, Fla. in the fall, said the walk was something she felt compelled to do.

“Sloan Kettering saved my mother’s life. After everything that my family went through I wanted to do something that would help other families," she said. "So if we can get more money to them, I hope they’ll be able to save more lives."

Theresa said the walk was supposed to be a surprise, but her little sister spilled the beans after the family received a letter from Darlington Park regarding a permit for the walk.

Upon learning of the 5k walk, Gerianne, a mother of four,  said she was taken aback by her daughter's efforts.  

"I'm just so very proud she's trying to make a difference," she said.  "I didn't know she had this in her to take this on and plan it the whole thing on her own. She really wants to help and it just makes me very proud. "

Her father Frank was equally impressed.

"A lot of kids get angry when cancer takes a toll on a family. And she got angry too. But she's using that to try and do something about this disease," he said. "She's very self-reliant and has a quiet strength. When she sets her mind to something she does it."

As for Gerianne's current prognosis, she says all her current tests show her to be cancer free, a diagnosis she credits to her the treatment at Sloan Kettering and her faith.

"My faith has carried me through. I just trust Him even though it's hard at times when you're going to the cancer treatment.  I trust that He has me and my children in his hands."  

To register for the walk or to offer a donation, you can visit the Leskauskas and Gormley Breast Cancer Walk website here. You can also check out the event's Facebook page here.