“To our dear friends -
It is with great sadness that I must let you know that our Gal to Gal Foundation President, Dorit Shapiro, lost her brave battle to Stage IV breast cancer yesterday. For those of you who have not had the pleasure of meeting Dorit – I can tell you that she was an incredible woman who believed passionately in the purpose behind the Gal to Gal Foundation.
As you may know, this year’s virtual walk hopes to raise $250,000 by asking each and every one of us to take 5 minutes and $5 and go to www.galtogalwalk.org and create your virtual walker. It is our hope to grant hundreds of wishes for Stage IV breast cancer patients and their families this holiday season. With your help we can!
Dorit’s wish was not for herself. It was that we make this goal and that no woman living with Stage IV should feel alone in this journey. Please join Dorit’s virtual self and all of us today in her honor!
Here is a tribute to Dorit where you can listen to her own words spoken 1 week ago (!) as we kicked off this event. Unfortunately after this speech she took a turn for the worst. She will be missed by her family and friends very much! Dorit just turned 38 years old with 2 daughters (ages 4 and 8). Please help us grant Dorit’s wish.
Watch now!
With hope in my heart!
Jeanne Fitzmaurice
Founder
Gal to Gal Foundation
Design-her Gals ”
**Join the Gal to Gal walk and Team up with Boutique Cafe! When you submit your virtual self as a walker, add Boutique Cafe as your team name!! Let’s all walk together and make Dorit’s dream come true! – Daria
Listen to my past interview with Jeanne Fitzmaurice from last year (episode #76) regarding the Gal to Gal virtual walk Here.
Dorit Shapiro was my sister. She passed away on 10/12/08 after a 3-year battle with Stage IV metastatic breast cancer, leaving behind her husband and two young daughters, ages 8 and 4. She was recently named President of the Gal to Gal Foundation – see http://www.galtogalwalk.org. There’s a YouTube video of a speech she gave on 10/2/08 in New York at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8_QET7Ivwv8, and a Huffington Post article written by Beth Feldman on 10/14/08 http://www.huffingtonpost.com/beth-feldman/in-memory-of-dorit-shapir_b_134519.html.
I was privileged to attend the evening in her honor in New York. It was a difficult and yet uplifting evening for our family. I am exceedingly proud of Dorit, my younger sister, for her part in helping build awareness of Gal To Gal, and for her inspiring words that night. She was most definitely on a mission, and she carried herself very well, despite her physical ailments taking their toll.
We will all miss her. We also appreciate the outpouring of support.
Please join the Gal to Gal Virtual Walk and encourage others to do the same. The $250K goal is ambtitious, but possible if word can spread. Maybe we can convince a sponsor to make a matching gift to get us there – but we have to get close enough first.
Ron Opher
Founder and Executive Director
Daddy’s Spirit Moves Me Forward
http://www.DaddysSpirit.org