Team MTMC rallies in national race - Brief Article

Leesha Saunders Galery

The Military Traffic Management Command's banner was held high in the June 6 National Race For the Cure, where 50 MTMC Headquarters employees made a statement in the fight against breast cancer.

For the first time ever, Team MTMC joined 72,000 participants at the event, a five-kilometer national race in Washington, D.C.

Pink and white t-shifted trekkers and sprinters traveled the streets of the District of Columbia, starting at the Washington monument grounds and finishing at Freedom Plaza.

The combined exercise and inspiration of the race inspired hope in many participating cancer survivors.

The idea for MTMC's involvement with the event came from Guadalupe Thompson, who served as team captain.

The idea was to encourage her former MTMC coworker and long-time friend Kathy Newdeck, a fellow Computer Specialist in Information Management.

First diagnosed with breast cancer in October 1996, Newdeck no longer is in the MTMC work force. However, she continues her fight against the disease and maintains close relationships with her former coworkers.

Newdeck joined the MTMC team and walked the more than three-mile route with her husband, Jim Shebest, at her side--encouraging her along the way.

"Kathy says she would have walked faster, but her husband Jim held her back," said Thompson.

"We needed a team," said Thompson. "Several MTMC employees have fought and are still battling breast cancer.

"We needed to let them know we care."

The big turnout of MTMC military, civilian and contractor personnel was much larger than expected by Thompson.

To form a team at the event, 25 participants are required.

"I was shocked when they told me we had 50 people registered!" said Thompson.

"This was a great way to raise awareness," said Master Sgt. Yvette Scott. "We should be concerned about others.

"We spend most of our days working to meet the needs of our customers, but we must remember to support each other as well," said Scott.

"I am a two-year survivor and I know this is important. Many MTMC employees have lost loved ones, or they themselves are survivors."

The race was an early morning call for the participants, with the pre-race events starting at 7 a.m.

Lorine Stovall and her daughter, Made, rose early Saturday morning to take the Metro from their home in Virginia to the race rally point at 17th Street and Constitution Avenue.

"My daughter really enjoyed the experience," said Stovall. "She wants to know when we'll do it again."

Thompson's son, Fernando, carried the MTMC sign high above the walkers for most of the course.

"I was so proud of him--he was great help," said Thompson.

After the race, team members ate yogurt, bananas and water to regain their strength.

They also enjoyed a free concert by Country Music Association artist and Grammy nominee Jo Dee Messina, who also participated in the race.

Oliver Gasaway, a MTMC computer graphic specialist, was among the first of the day's participants to arrive at the post, race site.

"It was a great day," said Gasaway. "I really had a good time. The concert was great too."

Deeply concerned about a lack of awareness and information on breast cancer, the founder of the Race for the Cure, Nancy Brinker, began the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation.

Brinker named the organization in memory of her sister, Susan G, Komen, who was just 36 years old when she died of breast cancer.

To date, the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation has raised more than $300 million for breast cancer information and the research aimed at someday eliminating of the disease.

COPYRIGHT 2001 U.S. Military Traffic Management Command
COPYRIGHT 2003 Gale Group