Use These 5 Social Media Tips to Boost Your 3-Day Fundraising

Social media is one of the most powerful tools you can use to support your Susan G. Komen 3-Day® fundraising efforts. From sharing your personal story to posting training updates and fundraising milestones, the content you create has the power to inspire donations and connect others to your journey.

No matter which social media platform you prefer, posting consistently can help keep your supporter engaged every step of the way.

Share Your Story

One of the most impactful things you can post on social media is your personal connection to the 3-Day and breast cancer. Whether you’re a breast cancer survivor, caregiver, supporter, family member or friend, sharing why this cause matters to you can inspire others to donate. Post a favorite photo, create a short video or write a heartfelt caption and explain why you’re participating in the 3-Day and what your fundraising efforts mean to you.

Go Live on Social Media

Going live on social media may sound intimidating, but all you have to do is be yourself to connect with your supporters in real time. Grab your phone, get comfortable and start talking about why the 3-Day is special to you. When people join, you can even ask them to donate on the spot and share your QR code or fundraising link.

Instagram Stories and Reels

Stories and reels are great tools for sharing quick updates. Post frequent updates on your 3-Day fundraising goal, training clips and other moments to keep your audience involved in your journey. You can link to your fundraising page through the features button to direct people to make a donation.

Launch a “Tag & Donate” Campaign

Encourage your followers to donate and tag three friends to do the same. This creates a fun, interactive chain effect that can multiply your reach and fundraising efforts. You can keep it simple with a small, suggested donation amount. This is a good way to help expand your reach. Don’t forget to link to your fundraising page or share your QR code!

Thank Your Donors Publicly

A thank-you can go a long way. Consider posting fundraising updates that recognize and celebrate your donors. Public appreciation helps supporters feel appreciated and can inspire others to join in and donate as well.

Social media has the power to create incredible momentum for your 3-Day fundraising goals. Whether you’re sharing a training update, a fundraising milestone, a throwback photo from your first Pink Bubble experience, every post helps others understand why the 3-Day is so important. You never know who your story might inspire.

Jessica’s Story: From Lifelong Komen Volunteer to Survivorship and Walking the 3-Day

Jessica P. and her two daughters at a Susan G. Komen event.

When Jessica P. participates in the Susan G. Komen Tampa Bay 3-Day® in 2027, she’ll walk with nearly three decades of connection to the Komen community. First as a teenage volunteer and now as a two-time breast cancer survivor.

A Lifelong Connection to Komen

Jessica became involved with Susan G. Komen® at just 14 years old while completing community service hours for the National Honor Society. What started as volunteer hours during high school evolved into something that would give her a deep sense of purpose.

“It was a really empowering place to be when I was young,” Jessica said. “I remember after volunteering at the West Palm Beach Race for the Cure events, my parents would pick me up and I would tell them about all of the inspiring stories I heard.”

Jessica continued volunteering with Komen in West Palm Beach, Florida, into adulthood. She got married, had a family and continued to participate in annual Komen events through volunteering and walking — often bringing her family along.

For years, she stayed closely connected to the mission that first inspired her as teenager.

Jessica P. and her baby at the Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure around the time of her breast cancer diagnosis.

When the Mission Became Personal

Then in 2019, the cause she had spent years supporting suddenly became extremely personal when she was diagnosed with breast cancer.

“I honestly didn’t think it would happen to me. I had a 5-year-old daughter and a 1-year-old daughter whom I immediately had to stop nursing when I was diagnosed,” Jessica said. “It was an added emotional and physical strain that nothing could have prepared me for.”

Just two years later, in 2021, Jessica was diagnosed with breast cancer for a second time. Her treatments included a double mastectomy, reconstruction surgeries, radiation therapy and hyperbaric oxygen therapy due to surgery complications.

Finding Strength Through Community

Even during her most difficult moments, Jessica said she found strength in the women she had encountered within the Komen community over the years.

“Through volunteering for Komen, I had been around breast cancer for so many years and I saw the survivorship. I saw the women holding the signs that said 20-plus years, 30-plus years,” Jessica said. “So, if they could be strong enough, I knew I could do it, too.”

Jessica P. and her husband and daughters at a Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure event.

Giving Back

In September, Jessica will celebrate five years of survivorship.

Today, she continues to show up for Komen as a passionate fundraiser preparing for her first 3-Day. After spending decades hearing stories from participants and survivors, she understands firsthand the impact that every dollar raised can make.

“After I was diagnosed, it kind of flipped something inside of me,” Jessica said. “My almost 45-year-old self went back to being 14 or 15, remembering those stories and those women. It lit a fire inside me. I knew I had to help.”

Successful Tips for Fundraising

As Jessica reflects on the fundraising lessons she’s gathered over the years, her advice for fellow participants is simple but powerful:

Reach out to previous donors and always send a personal thank you.

Never underestimate the power of Facebook and social media to connect with potential donors and supporters.

Add a personal touch and share your story honestly.

Don’t be afraid to go out to your community and ask for a donation.

Use tools like QR codes to make donating simple and accessible.

Remember, every dollar counts.

Jessica has raised nearly $77,000 through her participation in Komen events. She hopes her story reminds others that every step, every story and every donation has the power to make a lasting impact.

To learn more about the 3-Day, visit the3day.org.

The Power Behind Every 3-Day Donation

An embrace at the Susan G. Komen 3-Day

When you donate to the Susan G. Komen 3-Day®, you might wonder where your dollars go. With every donation, they embark on a powerful journey, one that brings hope where there is uncertainty, comfort where there is fear and progress where there is urgent need.

Every dollar raised through the 3-Day could become the research breakthrough that leads to lifesaving treatment. From a call to the Patient Care Center at just the right moment to financial help that aids a patient in getting to chemotherapy to advocating for state and federal policy change to ensure all people have affordable access to the care they need – every dollar carries the weight of possibility.