ABOUT COACH BARRIE
Coach Barrie has been involved in triathlons for 20 years. She is a USA Level II Triathlon Coach and has been coaching men and women of all levels for all distances.
She has completed three Ironman distance triathlons and hopes to compete in an Ironman each decade of her life! Her specialty is swimming, where she competed in college, and was a New England Championship swimmer. On a personal note, Barrie’s passion for the Tri for the Cure hits home as she lost her mother to breast cancer in 2011. She is a mother to two young boys who aspire to be athletes as well and raise breast cancer awareness in honor of their grandma!
COACH BARRIE’S SHARES HER STORY
“Monday, April 26, 2021, was a BIG day for me and these two pictures above were my WHY. The first photo is of my grandmother, who lived to be 99, my mother, my two younger sisters, and my oldest baby, Kalin. The second picture hits harder. This is a photo of my mother holding my youngest baby Dylan. On this visit, she informed my husband Doug and I that she was diagnosed a second time with breast cancer, the outcome didn’t look good. She passed away four months later at the age of 64.
This past December, I took a genetic test. And although I do NOT have the BRACA 1 gene, I do have a genetic mutation that increases the risk for both breast and ovarian cancer. Knowing what I know solidified my decision to have a double mastectomy. It’s been on my radar for over ten years and, on that Monday, I was scheduled for surgery.
Those who know me well, know that it was hard for me to accept help and support. This did not mean I didn’t appreciate what friends and family do for each other...I just am very stubborn and like to be in control. So, we formed a “makeshift charity” that would allow me to ask for support while spreading kindness and paying it forward.
With double mastectomies come tubes and the inconveniences of being connected for weeks. There is clothing apparel to help handle these drains. Some women are unaware of these clothing items or unable to purchase the items. We collected donations to purchase sweatshirts to help support these women already going through a stressful time. The sweatshirts are provided to the doctor’s office to hand out to women BEFORE their upcoming surgery.
The support I received gave me a positive outlook on my mastectomy and now my upcoming surgery (hysterectomy is this fall ), hopefully, made my mother proud and gave me hope to live a long life with my husband and children. HEALTH PREVENTION IS EXTREMELY IMPORTANT. YOU ARE YOUR BIGGEST CHEERLEADER AND ADVOCATE. Regular screenings and checkups can save lives. Please feel free to reach out if you have any questions or wish to discuss my procedures. ❤️❤️❤️”