Known on social media as Damnit Dara, 44-year-old Pack Member and breast cancer survivor Dara Dunbar, is walking through life with her head held high and a smile on her face. You’ll usually find her getting her walk in before things get started in the mornings, and now you’ll see her with her two new favorite additions—”Peace” and “Quiet”—her Jetti Poles.
We recently chatted with Dara and here’s just some of what we discovered.
Who she is and where she calls home…
A homeschooling mom of three, this spicy lady lives in Richmond, VA, a place that has completely wowed her, especially during its beautiful Fall season.
Her most cozy spot?
She’s a self-proclaimed homebody!
Loving the adventure…
Aging doesn’t scare this southern gal. As she enters her mid-forties, she’s seriously celebrating the grays that are making their appearance.
It’s a mental game…
On the days when taking a walk isn’t calling to Dara, she’ll commit herself to a 15-minute quick outing. Once she gets started, though, she tends to knock it out of the park, walking much longer and much farther.
We can all learn a thing or two from Dara…
When she’s not homeschooling, you’ll find Dara doing advocacy work to increase awareness about breast health and life after cancer. She’s on a non-profit board called Flat Closure Now, and moderates Facebook groups and facilitates zoom chats for the Young Survivor Coalition. Her personal focus in breast cancer advocacy has been on body acceptance and love. We kinda love that.
Bring on the spice!
Indian food is her favorite crave.
There’s a zip in her step…
Because Dara’s all-time favorite tune is Zip-a-dee-doo-dah by James Baskett. She insists that you can’t help but feel happy listening to it, and we couldn’t agree more!
Every mile does matter
For Dara, she knows that no matter the length of her walk, she is doing an amazing job. We love her mindset!
What walking has taught her:
“That I need that time to myself to think and release tension I’ve been holding. It’s also a wonderful time to connect with my Creator.”
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