AUBURN, Maine (NEWS CENTER) -- We talk a lot about cancer, but what can we really do to help? One woman broke out of the box in coming up with a way to support patients and their families. She just happened to set a Guinness World Record in the process.
Karate is about strength, both mentally and physically. At the Phoenix Karate Studio in Auburn, Donna Harris is always looking for ways to teach her students valuable lessons about life.
And some of those lessons are painful.
Last year, Donna, along with everyone here at NEWS CENTER, lost a dear friend and colleague.
Ann Murray Paige battled metastatic breast cancer for 10 years. In that time she produced a documentary, wrote a book, and started a foundation to help cancer families.
Donna says Ann was the strongest woman she knew. That Ann always told her you have to show up. Donna says " This is my way of showing up for breast cancer awareness."
THIS is Donna's attempt to get in the record books for the most pine boards broken, by hand, by a woman, in a minute. She tried it last year and raised money for Ann's foundation "Project Pink". But she did not break enough boards.
This year she has been training hard, and decided to try again.
On Saturday, surrounded by her karate students and families, Donna went for the record again at the Lewiston Armory.
She had to break a hundred boards to get in the record books. She broke 161.
But as she told all who turned out.. this was not about her.
"My battle didn't include chemo and radiation and surgery. Those are the truly strong people. "
Click here to donate. All money goes to Ann's foundation "Project Pink" which supports cancer patients and donates Ann's book to the newly diagnosed.
