Spotlight: Jennifer Rutledge
Jennifer Rutledge raised $3200 for the Susan B. Komen Foundation by walking 60 miles in three days while undergoing chemotherapy for breast cancer. She was diagnosed with the disease eighteen months prior at the age of 27. Most would consider her physical fortitude extraordinary.
But what is perhaps most extraordinary is the fortitude of her spirit and her response to a disease that has been threatening her existence. "Having cancer has been good for me," said Rutledge. "I know it sounds strange, but now when I'm driving, instead of getting stressed about traffic, I just enjoy the sunrise. I used to get impatient waiting in line at the grocery store and now I just think, at least I'm here. I'm alive."
Rutledge has incorporated this new perspective on a day-to-day basis in her job at Verizon. For six years she has worked as a specialist in Telecom Sales Assurance Support in Irving, Texas. She and her team currently support the implementation processes for FiOS installations. Rutledge said when people around her get rattled by something that is not going well she looks at the situation in a very different way. "I just say, okay, let's just calm down, it's not that big a deal. Going through this experience has helped me feel a sense of calm, a kind of inner peace."
"Coming back to work was very emotional at times," said Rutledge. "I was bald and people would ask 'what happened to you?' But most everyone gave me a warm welcome back. People at work become your family away from home."
Rutledge was pleased with the amount of money she was able to raise. She was only required to raise $2200 but she exceeded the minimum by $1000. "People were so generous. My co-workers at Verizon were very supportive and through the company's matching grant program I was able to raise a significant amount of money," said Rutledge.
Rutledge had been married for only three weeks when she was diagnosed with breast cancer. After surgery and two years of chemotherapy, Rutledge is free of cancer and looking toward the future with hope and enthusiasm.
In October 2006, she took on the challenge of walking 60 miles in three days to raise money for the Susan B. Komen Foundation. During her battle with the disease, she utilized the Foundation's Web site to connect with other women who were dealing with the same challenges.
For Rutledge, the challenging 60-mile walk was "life changing." And so was her illness. There were parallels between the illness and the walk. Rutledge said, "You learn to trust strangers. You find within yourself a strength and endurance to help you overcome anything. Then you look back at the things you struggled with and think - it wasn't so bad. It was worth it."
