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Hernando Today

Boob-A-Doobs Have Raised $63,000

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By Tony Holt

Hernando Today

Published: October 20, 2008

Weeki Wachee - Mary Vuolo walked 60 miles and helped raise thousands of dollars for breast cancer last year.

Less than two months later, she was told by her doctor that she had the disease.

She took her chemotherapy and radiation treatments from March through July and today is focused on doing the walk again. This time, she not only has more perspective, she has more help. She and her teammates also have raised more money.

Based on heredity, Vuolo knew her own diagnosis was possible.

"My mother and sister were affected by it," she said after she removed her baseball cap and showed off her short-style hairdo. "It's always in the back of a woman's mind."

In years past, Roseann Latoria was the only woman from GlenLakes to participate in the annual Tampa Bay Breast Cancer 3-Day Walk. Last year was the first time she established a team.

When she realized she would be strolling alongside other pink-wearing walkers, she decided to invent a team name. She came up with Boob-A-Doob's.

"When I told people that I got a lot of looks," she joked. "They were like, 'What?' I just wanted something cute and kicky."

The name caught on fast. Her roster has doubled this year.

Offers already have been pouring in for 2009.

"Last year, she was cancer free," Latoria said as she proudly introduced Vuolo. "This year, she's walking as a survivor."

That was when the other team members around her spoke up and called her an "inspiration."

Vuolo's daughter, niece and their friends are flying from Michigan and Maryland. One of her teammates, Sandy O'Dell, has someone flying from Minnesota.

In all, there will be 18 people taking part in the walk, most of whom live at GlenLakes. As of Friday, the team had raised more than $63,000 — putting them in third place among the teams participating in the walk, Latoria said.

"I feel so incredibly blessed to be doing this," said Ellen Frank. "It's really for every woman, every child and every male. No one on Earth could be unaffected by this disease."

The 3-Day will begin Friday, Oct. 31, at Fort Desoto Park in St. Petersburg and will conclude the following Sunday at the St. Petersburg Pier.

Aside from the cause and exercise, merely the sight of the thousands of walkers and spectators decked out in pink would be enough to draw thousands more to St. Petersburg.

"Last year, to me, the best thing was the opening ceremonies," said Pat Saisi. "Just before we started to walk and the moment they opened the gate, we saw a rainbow. That was really something."

People line up along the streets to hand out water, wash cloths, ice and popsicles. Some even pass out beer.

The walkers snake through the cities, over bridges and through packed neighborhoods.

For the 18 team members taking part, it is about raising money. The residents at GlenLakes have been showing their support by offering a steady flow of donations, Latoria said.

More than $5 million already has been collected by all the teams, according to the Web site.

The walkers are thankful for the generosity.

"The 60 miles is the easy part," said Frank. "Asking people for money is the hard part."

Then Frank recalled how she felt and what she saw at the end of last year's 3-Day.

"We look like the war wounded when you see us," she said.

For more information, visit www.the3day.org.

Reporter Tony Holt can be reached at 352-544-5283 or wholt@hernandotoday.com.

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