Barry Blauer  - Hero of the Month

Barry Blauer walks in every Breast Cancer 3 Day.  We caught up with Barry on Day 2 of the Philly Breast Cancer 3 Day that was turned into the Philly one day due to bad weather.   Barry has been an inspiration to many walkers on the 3 Day and Las Bombas is fortunate to have Barry along for the Arizona, San Diego and Washington walks as a team member.

Barry "Pink Beard Barry" is truly a man on a mission and will walk in all 15 cities in 2009 for a total of 900 miles and raising a minimum of $34,500.00 for the Breast Cancer 3 Day.   Please support Barry either with encouraging letters or by making a contribution in his name.   His personal fund raising page can be found here.

Barry, Thank you for joining us today, and congratulations on being the first "Hero of the Month" for Arizona Cancer Charities.  We look forward to seeing you here in Arizona in November and will try to spend some time with you in between cities.   So now for all of those who want to know all about Barry, what was the first Breast Cancer 3 Day that you participated in? 

A: It was the Breast Cancer 3 Day in 2002 in the Detroit area.

How did you learn about the Breast Cancer 3 Day?

A: I received an email from someone that said that the Breast Cancer 3 Day was coming to Detroit, Michigan and wanted to know if anyone else was interested in doing it, and I said "Sure I'll do it!"

Did you know what you were getting involved in at the time?

A:Nope.

How was your first Breast Cancer 3 Day, the whole walking, physical experience of it?

A:It was tough.  I want to say it was my toughest 3 Day physically. I was all beat up at the end.  I had blisters and I had my one and only 3 Day I.V. that year. I didn't go to the hospital, they took care of me on-site.  They did it all in the medical tent.

So you did the Breast Cancer 3 Day in one city and that gave you the bug to do all of them? Was there someone in your life that you decided to do this for that you felt so strongly about to walk in all of the events?

A: Well it started out in 2004 walking with the largest team in Detroit.  Many of them had done Breast Cancer 3 Days in other cities.  I started getting interested in that idea. In 2005 I crewed in Arizona. In camp at night, a young lady was talking from the stage.  Her name was Brit.   She was 21 years old, she was diagnosed at 18.  She had no family history or any risk factors.  When I heard that, I was ready to sign up for all the walks in 2006.

So 2006 was the year you made the commitment to do all the walks for the year?

A: Correct

Everyone knows about Pink Beard Barry on the walks.  When you come to a walk, everyone wants to meet Barry.   How did that all start?

A: There was a man in on the sidelines on Boston who's beard was tinged pink, and one of teammates turned to me and said "You can do that!", and I thought "Yes I could!."  In October I found a pink spray I could use and for the first time I turned it pink for the Dallas walk in 2006.   Before I ever got into opening ceremonies, women started taking me aside to take pictures.  So I found out that everyone loved the idea of it, so I started doing it for all the walks.   And then I found out that when I am outside the 3 Day, it's great for awareness, people are always asking me, so I can explain what its for and I can talk to them about the Breast Cancer 3 Day.

What do you do for fundraisers?  Do you have sponsors?

A: I have lots of people who sponsor me. Now that I have been all over the country, I am getting help from all over the country.  The workers and the crew understand most of what I am trying to do and would like to see me continue.

Just as an estimate, how much money do you think you have raised for cancer awareness,  not exclusively for the 3 Day?

A: I would say about $130,000.00  <--- Alot of $$$$

We discussed last year about you and the sash representing you as Mr. April of the 60 Mile Men.  Are you still a part of the 60 Mile Men?

A: Yes, once you are 60 mile man, you are always a 60 mile men.  I will always be "Mr. April 2009" and I will always be promoting 60 Mile Men along the walks and trying to recruit other men to be in the calendar.

Can you explain what and who the 60 Mile Men are?

A: Sure, the 60 Mile Men is a group of men who are all involved in the Breast Cancer 3 Day, all of them are walkers or crew who are willing to go a little further to raise money by posing for a calendar to raise money to fight breast cancer.

Barry, I think you failed to mention that you are partially naked in this calendar..

A: Well yes.  We are kinda based loosely on the "Calendar Girls" which is a group in England which has done such a thing and yes are tastefully clothed or maybe a little less.

So everybody who wants to purchase a calendar can go to the website and purchase a calendar?  Does the money all go to a specific person in the calendar or how does that get distributed?

A: The net proceeds from the calendar all go back to the 3 Day in different ways.  Many times some of the 60 Mile Men get checks and pass them out at the Breast Cancer 3 Day to walkers who are there, but have not met their minimum requirements.

So Barry, are you excited about coming back to Arizona?

A: I am very excited about coming to Arizona. 

As a member of the Las Bombas team, you were a part of a phenomenal team.  We were the biggest team in Arizona and we raised the most money for the Breast Cancer 3 Day as a team in Arizona I think to the tune of $191,000.00 by the time we were done with all of our donations coming in.

A: That's true.  And I had a wonderful time with the team, they are a really wonderful group of people and that's why I really like being a part of that team.  But also a friend of mine here in Philadelphia that I met both in DC and Philadelphia last year is also coming out to Arizona and I will also enjoy walking with her.

Is there anything else you want to add Barry?

What I tell people on why I continue to do this is that every walk, I meet more reasons to keep walking.  I get to meet young mothers, who are survivors, with young children, or hear of young mothers who have not survived.

Barry, thank you for spending your morning with us. We really do think you are a hero and hope that you continue to be hero to other people as well.

Links:

www.pinkbeardbarry.com