Local Woman Makes Impact with 'Pearlies,' Named Flag Bearer in Boston 3-Day

When Sharyn Eaton started her Susan G. Komen 3-Day for the Cure team earlier this year, she said she had no idea "how far it would go" or if the cause would resonate with residents as deeply as it does with her.

Since those humble beginnings, Eaton's "A String of Pearls" team has grown to a total of 16 members — including four cancer survivors and three men — as a well as an innumerable contingency of supporters across the country, all of whom wear pearls during awareness walks to honor cancer victims and to support cancer survivors, their families and the quest for a cure.

Teams from Boston to Tampa to San Diego now all wear pearls in recognition of a team that Eaton says truly embodies the spirit behind the annual 3-Day walks. The local woman said that passion and dedication has helped the "Pearlies" — the nickname for "A String of Pearls" members — climb to No. 6 overall in the nation this year in 3-Day fundraising and has contributed to Eaton's selection as the bearer of the "My Friends" flag during the Boston 3-Day, which starts Friday.

"I'm honored I was chosen," said Eaton, 65, of Hampton, who said the members of her team have raised "close to" $45,000 for the Boston 3-Day. "I think [we've been successful because of] the belief that we can find that cure. Knowing that this money can make a difference in someone's life. Knowing this money is going to push us that much closer.

"I truly believe we are making a difference and that a cure is not too far away."

Eaton will be joined by several local residents and individuals from across the country on the "A String of Pearls" team during the Boston 3-Day, which includes with a 20-mile walk starting in Framingham, Mass., on Friday, another 20-mile starting in Waltham on Saturday, and a 20-mile walk Sunday that ends at 4:30 p.m. with a ceremony at UMass-Boston.

Among the individuals walking with Eaton this weekend are Kate Meehan — whose mother passed away due to breast cancer — as well as Merrimack Patch Editor Carolyn Dube — a Seacoast native — and others.

Eaton isn't a cancer survivor, nor was she touched by the affects of cancer before she first started participating in the walks in 2006 at the invitation of her daughter-in-law.

The inspiring stories of the individuals she's since meet along the way at 15 walks across the country have made an immeasurable impact on Eaton, though, and have lead her to travel to San Diego, Tampa, D.C., Chicago, Atlanta, Arizona and other places to listen to survivors' stories and join the cause.

One of the stories that stuck with Eaton the most was one about Bridget Spence, who at 21 years old was diagnosed with Stage 4 breast cancer and given only a 15-percent chance of reaching her 30th birthday.

Eaton said it so was moving to meet Spence, now a 29-year-old Boston woman and survivor working with the Susan G. Komen Foundation, that Eaton named her team "A String of Pearls" after Spence. The moniker originated from a saying Spence's mother always told her: "Don't forget to wear your pearls, Bridget."

The symbol has already taken off, as teams from across the country can be seen during 3-Day events sporting pearls in addition to a number of personal items that represent some of the many other individuals affected by cancer.

"Looking at people walking who have their pearls on is so touching and so huge," said Eaton. "It’s a silent tribute to Bridget and the other Bridgets we know.

"The 3-Day is the way the world should be all the time. Everyone’s always looking out for somebody else. One of my favorite things to ask is, 'What's your story?' You hear the most amazing things."

Eaton said she looks forward to joining the 900 or so walkers and couple hundred teams walking this weekend as a part of the Boston 3-Day. She said the awareness piece is "just as important" as raising money for an organization that is "responsible for every single medical advancement in cancer today," and she hopes the sea of pink descending on the Greater Boston area will have a strong impact.

"It's really life-changing, and you make friends that stay with you throughout the year," said Eaton. "We call it our 3-Day family. I’m looking forward to reconnecting with people I haven’t seen since last year in Boston. You can walk up to them and give them a hug and they know your name instantly because they recognize you from a past walk.

"It's absolutely huge."

More information about Eaton is posted on her 3-Day page, and more information about "A String of Pearls" is available on its 3-Day page. Donations to the cause can also be made through the team's members by clicking on those pages.

Eaton said anyone looking to participate, join "A String of Pearls" or help out next year is more than welcome to contact her at sharyneaton@comcast.net or join her on one of daily walks through the Seacoast area.