Local Woman Walks For Her Mom One Last Time

It got in Colleen Erickson's blood and she didn't want to stop.

But now her body is telling her it's time to hang up her pink gear.

After four years and more than $15,000 funds raised, Erickson is heading to her final Twin Cities Susan G. Komen Walk for the Cure 3-Day next month.

"It's been a real emotional and physical journey, but I knew had to quit after having two knee replacement and ankle surgery from tearing a tendon," Erickson said. "It wasn't all because of walking in the 3-Day, but the extra miles didn't help."

Erickson got involved with the 3-Day in 2008, that was the first and only year her mother Louise O’Brien LeBlanc lived to see her walk. Louise was 92 when she passed away, about 20 years after she survived breast cancer.

"She was so worried about me doing this," Erickson said. "She was touched I was doing it in her honor, but she thought I was crazy."

Though her mother was a survivor, Erickson saw what the disease did to her mother physically and mentally.

"She never had reconstruction surgery, she thought she was too old," Erickson said. "I believe that without the early detection and early treatment I would have lost having my mom around for her last 20 years!"

Erickson is part of the 3-Day team called "These Boobs Are Made For Walkin’" during the years the team has changed, but no matter who she walks with they walk for a cure.

"I’m very grateful for all that Susan G. Komen Foundation does in local communities to help with research and early detection," Erickson said.

Though Erickson may not be walking next year, she hopes to be a volunteer in some capacity either as a motivator, bystander, someone spritzing the walkers as they go by or handing out frozen grapes.

Erickson's team will have a fundraising event at in Plymouth tonight from 8-10 p.m. with a silent auction and more.