One Step at a Time – Meet Pala, a Survivor

Survivors are the heroes of the Susan G. Komen 3-Day®. They remind us of one of the many reasons why we walk: because everyone deserves a lifetime. Today, we’re delighted to introduce you to Pala L., from Livonia, Michigan. Pala walked the Komen 3-Day in Michigan last week and is going strong for another 60 miles this week in the Twin Cities. This is Pala’s 14^th 3-Day® since 2009, and she has previously walked Washington, D.C., Philadelphia, Cleveland, Atlanta, Tampa and Arizona. “I was going to walk it once to see what it was like,” said Pala. “I was training in 2009 and when registration opened in 2010, I registered before I even walked the first time! I never dreamed I would be walking so many events per year.”

Meet Pala from Livonia, Michigan, who walked Michigan and Twin Cities this year

In 2003, Pala was diagnosed with breast cancer. “I went from being told in March I had a clean mammogram to a lumpectomy in July because I found the lump. I had a six month old granddaughter, and the hardest part of my treatments was not being able to see her because of my low blood count. I don’t want her and that generation to worry about going through things I did. Her other grandmother was diagnosed a year after me, and she has it coming from both sides. I can’t have that.”

In 2007, the 3-Day route went by Pala’s house. Pala was two years out from treatment, and had no idea the 3-Day was in town. “I went outside and cheered. The walkers would say thank you for being here, thanks for coming out. And I thought, I’m just standing here, you’re doing all the work. In 2008, my husband and I stood out there, and again, they thanked us. In 2009, I said to my husband, I want to try this. I want to see what it’s about. I want to see if I can do it. I had no idea if I could fundraise. I had no idea if I could walk 60 miles. 14 events later… here I am.”

Pala proudly wears many buttons and pins.

Pala works on fundraising for ten and a half months out of every year, and after walking 14 events, she’s learned to approach fundraising from many different angles. “I do everything that I can think of,” she said. She starts with writing letters, but her biggest fundraiser is her annual garage sale, and she also dabbles in recycling cans and ink cartridges. Pala also teaches monthly card-making workshops for donations, and reminds nervous fundraisers that the best way to fundraise is to think about what you like to do and figure out how you can make donations from it.

Pala’s passion for the 3-Day is obvious as she describes her love of finding creative ways to fundraise and the joy she gets from being around so many inspiring people. Pala embodies the type of commitment and dedication we see in so many 3-Day participants. What does she tell herself when the last few miles of the day are feeling tough? “Put one foot in front of the other. It’s like a person going through treatment who says, how can I get through this? One day at a time. One step at a time.”

Pala walks with her friend Becky, who also helps her with her annual fundraising garage sale

Over the Hill: Conquering Day 2 on a Twin Cities Hill

Day two of the Susan G. Komen 3-Day® in the Twin Cities has come to an end, and all day, we enjoyed balmy weather with cloud cover that kept the sun’s rays tucked away. This cooler weather was much appreciated as walkers closed in on an awesome 22.5 miles, through scenic sites like the Gervais Mill Park, where reflections of pink gleamed upon the lily-pad studded pond. One of the more challenging parts of today’s Komen 3-Day route was a hilly patch on Gramsie Road that stretched through Shoreview. We trekked up the hill a few times alongside the walkers, and captured some of their reactions as they conquered the incline. Here’s what they had to say!

Walkers rockin’ the hill on Gramsie Road in Twin Cities

“They’re not gonna make us walk up this hill, right?”
Someone yells, “This is the last hill of the day!” A walker responds, “You’re a liar!”
“There better be grahamwiches after this.”
“It’s all downhill from here!”
“You don’t want to know what I think about this hill.”
“Once you go up… you gotta come down!”
“You can’t write what I want to say.”
“At least it’s not the last two miles.”
“You know what’s worse than walking up a hill on the 3-Day? Swallowing a bug walking up a hill on the 3-Day.”
“Glad I’m going up and not down.”
“It’s not too bad.” (Friend replies, “Wait till he gets to the top.”)
“Are there any flat lands in this state?”
“It’s almost over!”

And our favorite…

“We can do it!”

We know that our amazing 3-Day® walkers and crew will never give up… on hills, or in the fight to end breast cancer.

Congratulations to the Twin Cities 3-Day Milestone Award Winner: George N.!

Congratulations to George Nummer, the Susan G. Komen Twin Cities 3-Day Milestone Award winner! George is in his 11^th year of involvement with the Susan G. Komen 3-Day®, on his 32^nd event, and has raised over $81,000 in his life towards fighting breast cancer.

George takes on Day 2 of the Twin Cities 3-Day

George has walked the Komen 3-Day in Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Cleveland, Dallas / Fort Worth, Denver, Detroit, Philadelphia, Phoenix, San Diego, San Francisco, Seattle, Tampa Bay, Twin Cities, and Washington D.C. (whew!). In 2007, George walked all twelve 3-Day® events, and with every step George takes, he’s helping to spread the message that early detection is key. Along the route yesterday, he spoke with 14 women who promised they would get mammograms. At the Camp Show last night, George asked women in the audience to raise their hands and promise that they would get mammograms. This passionate advocacy for detection has already saved one life, as George tells the story of a young women who got a mammogram despite her insurance not covering it because she wasn’t 40. She was diagnosed with breast cancer and thanked George for encouraging her to get screened. Because they caught it early, it was treatable. As he likes to say, “What’s more important: the money or your life?”

Fundraising $81,000 is no small feat, and George has fine-tuned his fundraising strategies over the years. “I was hesitant the first time I ever fundraised, and I put in a lot of my own money,” he said. One of George’s favorite ways to raise money is by writing letters. “I send a couple hundred letters out a year,” he said. He also recommends that you get creative with your fundraising. George is a retired electrician and started working side jobs for donations. He also learned to talk to people on training walks and to tell them about his fundraising goals. “Ask for a donation. All they can do is say no – you’d be surprised how many people will donate to you!” George has also sold buttons and badges for fundraising.

George sells buttons and badges for his fundraising efforts.

There’s no doubt that seeing George’s smiling face around both Michigan and Twin Cities this year has been a joy for many participants, evident in the numerous photo opps George has been a part of. George’s advice to other 3-Dayers? “Don’t make a race out of it. Take your time, stop and smell the roses, talk to people.”

“After I finish this walk, I’ll be 20 miles short of my 2,000 mile mark. So I signed up for Michigan for next year – after Day 1, I’ll have my 2,000 miles,” George said. We’re grateful for George and every mile he’s walked with our wonderful 3-Day family, helping us get one step closer to ending breast cancer forever.