Keeping it in the Family

One family. Three Crew Members. One Youth Corps. Two Pit Stops. Chicago time.

For the Carrillo family, the Susan G. Komen Chicago 3-Day is a family affair. If you happen to be walking the 60-mile journey through the greater Chicago area today to help find the cure for breast cancer, you’ll certainly stop through Pit Stop 4, which is led by Saralyn Carrillo and helped by husband Julio Carrillo. Saralyn is a two-time survivor of breast cancer. By the way, Pit Stop 3 is led by her daughter Alex. Oh, and did I mention that her son Andrew is the top fundraiser for Youth Corps on this event (raising over $2000)? What a family!

Saralyn Carrillo stands on stage at the Opening Ceremony of Chicago's 2013 Susan G. Komen 3-Day®

Saralyn Carrillo is surrounded by her family at the Opening Ceremony of the Susan G. Komen Chicago 3-Day (left to right: Julio, Alex, Saralyn, Andrew)

“I felt like I should pay back the system,” says Saralyn. “I had a mammogram on September 11, 2001, which had a tiny lesion, and my doctor told me to followup in a year. When I did, there were dozens of lesions. After a biopsy showed that they were positive for cancer, I elected to have a double mastectomy.” Saralyn started walking the Komen 3-Day in 2005 as appreciation for all of the information she had gleaned from the Susan G. Komen^® website and for the general cause to find a cure. This is her 7th year walking the 3-Day^®. Saralyn had a second bout with breast cancer only this year; she noticed a lump above the area of reconstruction and underwent an additional surgery, fortunately, having clean margins. Amazingly, she is a crew captain this week even though she is two weeks into a six-week course of chemotherapy. Even after all this, she remains upbeat and positive for the future!

Saralyn Carrillo joins hands with other breast cancer survivors at the Opening Ceremony of the Chicago 3-Day

Julio is helping the Pit Stop 4 crew this weekend, and to the surprise of his wife yesterday, was also a flag bearer in the Opening Ceremony, proudly representing husbands everywhere with a flag marked “My Wife” this morning before the large crowd. After supporting his wife through her ordeals, he urges other husbands to get educated: “Have your wife get a mammogram and find out all you can about breast cancer. I was scared to death; ignorance is fear. We have peace of mind now.”

Go Carrillo Family!

Celebrating the 3-Day Youth Corps

We celebrated a special milestone in Boston this year. Our 3-Day Youth Corps marked its tenth year with yet another extraordinary group of selfless and kind young people who supported our walkers and crew members. In 2013, our Youth Corps members will be bringing their special spirit and energy to every 3-Day across the country!

Robin Maxcy was one of the founders of the Boston 3-Day Youth Corps. Robin was a 3-Day coach for the very first Boston 3-Day, and led the Youth Corps program for six years. She has kept in touch with some of her Youth Corps members of the years, and in 2011, she organized the first ever Boston Youth Corps alumni cheering station!

Robin was inspired to create the Youth Corps program after her first experience on the 3-Day, seeing how meaningful it was for the walkers, crew and volunteers. “I wanted to bottle it all up and offer everyone a dose of 3-Day experience. It’s life-changing! I met an incredible 3-Day family that year. They included their daughter, Jessica, in some of the 3-Day experience, it was apparent to her dad and me that we needed a place for young people on the 3-Day. So the Youth Corps was born. Over the last ten years the members of the 3-Day community have all worked together to make the Youth Corps Team what it is today.”

Boston3-Day Youth Corps members cheer on walkers along the route each day. One of their favorite duties.

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Thank You Cleveland!

“I can’t believe it!” quipped a walker at 6 a.m. on Friday morning. “It’s always raining during the Opening Ceremony in Cleveland and look at this!” Indeed, Dock 32 appeared pristine as the walkers gathered and the sun peeked above the beautiful city of Cleveland for the Susan G. Komen 3-Day^®. The dedicated community of supporters of the Komen 3-Day here were electrified by the stories of survivors and poured out onto the streets of Cleveland in excellent weather and even better spirits. (See photographs from the event here.)

A walker reaches pit stop 1, greeted by the cheering crew on the Cleveland 3-Day

After passing the stadiums of Cleveland and moving out near the lake’s edge west of the city, walkers pushed into the neighborhoods of Lakewood and Rocky River and towards Westlake Recreation Center, which would be home for the next two nights. Both singers and dancers entertained the crowd during dinner and during a great camp show. What a great way to end Day 1!

The last walker of Day 2 is greeted by Dr. Sheri and the camp after the raising of the flag

After what could be called no less than a torrential rain overnight, the resilient walkers set out their bedding to dry while they took on the 21.5-mile route on Day 2, complete with two cheerleading stations, many private companies and families (thank you!) and warm weather. Local dancers and singers again prepped the crowd for the evening, which included touching stories from participants, tributes to fundraisers, and fun games from sponsors New Balance and Bank of America.

The 2013 Cleveland 3-Day camp is illuminated at sunrise

With only a few showers overnight, the walkers were treated to an exceptional sunrise and a 16.9-mile route that led through the beautiful Valley Parkway. Special thanks to the friends, family and community who showed their support at some great cheering stations on Day 3! If the walkers were weary, they didn’t show it as they marched triumphantly into the Closing Ceremony amid cheers and hugs. The crowd fell silent as shoes were lifted high by the walkers in deference to those survivors of breast cancer in the Survivors’ Circle. The crowd went wild after the announcement of $1.3 million raised by Cleveland for the fight to end breast cancer. Thank you to the dedicated community of Cleveland!