How Sweep Vans Support Walkers at the 3-Day

Donna and Denise's sweep van at the Denver 3-Day. The theme was Wizard of Oz.

When participants arrive at the Susan G. Komen 3-Day®, they’re determined to take on an unforgettable journey of walking up to 60 miles. But sometimes exhaustion, an unexpected injury, weather-related route closures or simply needing a moment to recharge can make it difficult for walkers to stay on the route.  

That’s where the sweep vans come in.  

Throughout the 3-Day weekend, sweep vans monitor the route for walkers who need a break and provide transportation to another section of the route. While some walkers choose to use a sweep van if an unexpected challenge arises, others incorporate them into their event plan from the start. No matter the reason, sweep van crews are ready to offer a lift, encouragement and a warm welcome when a 3-Day walker steps inside. 

More Than Just a Ride 

Denise and Donna dressed in costume near their Wizard of Oz sweep van at the Komen 3-Day.

Like many parts of the 3-Day, sweep vans embrace the spirit of the Pink Bubble. Crews often decorate their vans, wear costumes and create fun themes to lift walkers’ moods and to keep the energy going all weekend.  

At last year’s Denver 3-Day, Donna K. and Denise S. decorated their sweep van based on the Wizard of Oz. The pair dressed in costumes including Dorothy, the Cowardly Lion and the Tin Man, plus Glinda and Elphaba and greeted walkers with music and gave them small gifts. 

“My son 3-D printed these red badges of courage, and we passed those out to everybody as they came in the van,” Donna said. 

Donna and Denise in the 3-Day sweep van supporting walkers.

For Donna, who has been participating in the 3-Day as a walker since 2006 and crews in at least one city a year, supporting walkers from a sweep van gave her a new perspective.  

“There’s some people that absolutely will not get in a sweep van,” Donna said. “That was me when I first started doing the walk. I wanted to do all the miles. But after a while, you realize that walking is just secondary to the experience and that you need to listen to your body. If you’re having struggles, it’s OK to get in a sweep van.”  

Although many participants are hesitant to ride a sweep van because of their determination to complete all 60 miles on foot, Donna encourages walkers to view the vans as tool to help them succeed. 

A Different Way to Give Back 

Donna and Denise behind the wheel of their 3-Day sweep van dressed in costume.

Denise is no stranger to the 3-Day. Inspired by her mother’s breast cancer diagnosis, she participated in the event for years and completed approximately 15 walks. But last year’s Denver 3-Day marked her first time serving on the crew. 

Crewing alongside Donna in the sweep van gave Denise a new appreciation for the support crew members provide to walkers. 

“I think one thing I would like people to know is how good it makes the people in the sweep vans feel when somebody comes in our van,” Denise said. “We are there driving the vans and we are there hanging around to help when they need us. And it felt good when we were able to do that.” 

This year, Donna and Denise will be back behind the wheel of their Wizard of Oz-themed sweep van at the Dallas/Fort Worth 3-Day. Their message to walkers is simple: Don’t be afraid to accept support. 

Taking a sweep van doesn’t mean your 3-Day journey is over. Sometimes a quick break is all you need to keep moving toward the finish line. 

Denise and Donna outside their sweep van on the yellow brick road they set up.

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

Carl B.’s Journey to His 40th 3-Day

Carl B. and his fellow 3-Day walkers in Dallas.

When Carl B. first signed up for the Susan G. Komen 3-Day® in 2006, he had a deeply personal reason for participating. Nearly two decades later, he’s still showing up, even though the circumstances that first brought him to the event have changed. 

“I did my first 3-Day in Boston two years after my wife was diagnosed with breast cancer, but when we separated, I questioned if this was still my mission,” Carl said.  

As he thought about that question, he found out that Teresa, a friend he had met through the 3-Day community, had passed away. Seeing her last Facebook post felt like a sign. 

“She left this poignant last Facebook post. I still go back and look at it for inspiration every so often. It’s still there, 12 years later,” Carl said. “She told her friends and family about hospice and about trying to keep her comfortable, and she ended it with, ‘I pray for better treatments.’” 

Carl B. also creates art inspired by his 3-Day journey.

Carl’s artwork inspired by the 3-Day.

Carl said Teresa’s words reminded him that the mission was bigger than his own story. 

“I haven’t looked back since,” he said.  

Over the years, his connection with the 3-Day community has only grown stronger. 

“After I got divorced, I had a whole new social circle enter my life. And Lord, probably 15% of them are affected by breast cancer and a few of them have died,” Carl said.  “It’s such a huge factor in my life, and some of my best friends in the world are people I’ve met on the 3-Day. I just can’t imagine not doing it.” 

To honor his friends who have died from breast cancer, many of whom he met through the 3-Day, Carl has a band of pink ribbons tattooed around his arm.  

Carl B. with his pink beard at the Boston 3-Day.

Now in his early 60s, Carl is looking forward to walking his 40th 3-Day at the Tampa Bay event in 2027. 

“I think that everybody needs to do something to make the world a better place,” Carl said. “So, I’ve been doing this for the past 20 plus years and I really enjoy it.”

Carl said being immersed in the Pink Bubble has also encouraged him to keep a closer eye on his own health. 

“I do check myself and I try to be aware of everything going on with my body,” he said. “I think that’s really the best way to detect something early.”

Carl B. and members of the Pink Bubble at the San Diego 3-Day halfway mark.

Julie’s 3-Day Story: From Family History to Survivorship

Julie M. has walked in the Susan G. Komen 3-Day for more than a decade.

For more than a decade, Julie M. walked the Susan G. Komen 3-Day® to honor the women in her family who had faced breast cancer. Then in 2023, she received a diagnosis of her own. 

Walking for Her Mom 

Julie first participated in the San Diego 3-Day in 2010, following her mother’s breast cancer diagnosis in 2007.  

“I would have walked sooner, but when my mom had cancer, I lived in Italy with my husband on his military tour,” Julie said. “When I started, my mom walked with me a few times, and I have done it ever since.” 

Julie M. started walking in the 3-Day after her mom was diagnosed with breast cancer.

Over the years, the 3-Day has become a major part of Julie’s life. She has participated in 22 events, and for the past seven years she has served as captain of Team Viva Las Boobies.  

“The 3-Day has been a life-changing experience for me because of the camaraderie, the sisterhood. It’s phenomenal,” Julie said. “The people I walk with … we just walked this morning. We walk year-round and we have just become such lifelong friends.” 

Worst News Ever 

For much of her adult life, Julie M. lived with the expectation that one day she might come face to face with breast cancer. 

“I’ve been getting mammograms since I was in my 30s,” Julie said. “My mom, my granny and my aunties all had breast cancer.”  

Determined to stay vigilant, Julie alternated between mammograms and breast MRIs every six months.  

In early 2023, Julie had a routine MRI that came back with clear results. The next month, she missed a scheduled mammogram because she was dealing with vertigo. Then, when she went in for the mammogram about one month later, she was called back for additional imaging. She had a gut feeling that something was wrong. 

Julie and her family during her breast cancer journey.

At age 53, Julie was diagnosed with stage 1 breast cancer. At the time, some of Julie’s family members were in San Diego visiting from Scotland. And both of her daughters were busy preparing for their final college exams. So, she waited before delivering the news to her family.   

When the time came, Julie and her husband called both of their daughters and told them together.   

“It was harder to tell my daughters than it was to tell anyone else. They were 20 and 22 when I was diagnosed,” Julie recalled,. “The first thing they said was, ‘Worst news ever.’” 

Julie’s daughters and husband were a great source of support as she recovered from surgery. Just a few months later, Julie walked the Boston 3-Day and then returned home to San Diego to begin radiation therapy. 

Leaning on the Pink Bubble 

Team Viva Las Boobies at the Komen 3-Day.

Throughout her diagnosis and treatment, Julie also leaned on the friendships she had built through the 3-Day. 

“The Pink Bubble is a real thing. It’s truly an amazing connection that you make with people that you would never cross paths with any other way,” Julie said.  

Julie said she was grateful to be able to reach out to fellow 3-Day walkers and survivors for advice and strength.  

“I was able to reach out to so many people, and they shared recommendations for surgeons, what to expect from treatment paths and their experiences,” Julies said. “It was a wealth of information from teammates and so many people who had been there before.” 

This year, Julie is celebrating nearly two years of breast cancer survivorship and will walk in the San Diego 3-Day in November. Her advice to those who are newly diagnosed is: “Don’t let breast cancer get you down or swallow you up. Keep moving forward, because you can still come out on the other side and live your best life.” 

Julie an her team, Viva Las Boobies, in New York City.

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