After months of planning, fundraising, publicity, and hard labor, the morning of September 7, 2013 arrived with anticipations high and temperatures low. As the sun gradually warmed our faces, our hearts were enveloped in the warmth of compassion, community, and accomplishment throughout the day.

As it was for me last year, I was again struck by the number of people from out of state and locally who have been touched by brain aneurysms who chose our event to honor themselves, a loved one, or friend.

The KAT-Walk was originally started by a small group of people wishing to honor and remember the shining star of our lives, Kimberly Tudor who we lost at the age of 32 to a ruptured brain aneurysm. Those of you who knew Kim know the number of adjectives to describe her are limitless. Her loss, at such a young age, was very difficult and finding some way to DO something was very important.

At the time, there were no social events or groups in Maine specifically related to brain aneurysms. A walk along the Back Cove, where Kim enjoyed walking herself, seemed a wonderful way for us to be together and celebrate her life, as well as educating the public about brain aneurysms.

Because I had survived my own ruptured brain aneurysm two years prior to Kim’s death and I was dealing with my issues and demons as a result, the planning, advertising, and discussions for the walk were difficult for me…as well as everyone else. But we felt it was important and it became a real labor of love.

Our original event planned by a small group to honor OUR loved one, has turned into such a bigger event than any of us could have imagined. Those of us who knew Kim, will always know the KAT-Walk is in HER honor, and there is a natural ebb and flow to the amount of participation among Kim’s friends and family that is inevitable at an event like this.

I know the Susan G. Komen breast cancer events started in memory of Susan, but the events themselves have become a gathering place for survivors, friends, and families from all over who have been touched by breast cancer. They never knew Susan, worked with her, or know her family, but the common bond that does unite them is, sadly, breast cancer.

The same holds true for our event. The first year is the most powerful emotionally for those effected by a brain aneurysm, and the love and support from family, friends, and co-workers is what gets you through that delicate time. As lives moves on, so do friends, family and co-workers. It doesn’t mean they don’t care or remember the effected person, it’s just life. And attending events like this don’t hold the importance in THEIR lives as it does in yours. It can be discouraging, but we can only do so much.

We have been so blessed that the group of individuals associated with our walk and run continue to hold fast to our motto to “share our tears, remember with love, walk & run to honor” those effected by brain aneurysms. Our KAT-Walk and Karo 5K committee is comprised of family and friends who have lost loved ones and survivors. Half of them never met Kim, but they do know someone else who was effected, or are survivors themselves and want to contribute in educating the public. The desire to DO something can be a strong motivator.

Karolina Kurka’s family and friends needed a place to grieve and gather in a meaningful way that would also support brain aneurysm awareness. Karo was another beautiful, young, vibrant woman struck down by a ruptured brain aneurysm. Her family chose our walk to do that only a few short months after losing her, and as a result, the Karo-5K was born and many of Karolina’s family and friend are an integral part of the planning and fundraising.

This year, as I sat in the Brain Aneurysm Awareness tent, it was wonderful to see returning local and out-of-state survivors make the trip again. It doesn’t hurt that Maine is a beautiful state and the setting for the walk and run is visually appealing either.

But what struck me most was the number of new survivors I met and how they had heard about the event, made it a goal to do the walk or the run, and worked very hard to accomplish that goal. In some cases, simply making the trip to Portland, was an accomplishment.

The phrase “strength in numbers” came to mind as I met, hugged and shared stories with other survivors. Just as breast cancer survivors join together at Susan G. Komen events and take great pride in surviving something many hadn’t, brain aneurysm survivors know the immediate, and sometime’s deadly dangers a ruptured  brain aneurysm can bring. We SHOULD be proud we’re still here and we SHOULD let the public know about.