“Just one look at you,
And I know it’s gonna be…
A lovely day”
Lovely Day, Bill Withers
Katie S. and her team listened to this song every morning on the 3-Day as they got ready to walk, just like in years past. It helped her get moving and excited for the 20 miles ahead. This year though, she had extra motivation to help her take on those 60 miles. Her dad, Dave, walked with her in honor of his wife (Kate’s mother) Roxanne.
“We were a father-daughter duo named ?Our Team Rox!’ and we came together to celebrate my mom, Roxanne, who is a 20-year survivor.”
Katie has been walking the 3-Day for many years, first in San Diego, and then other cities as well. She’s already signed up for the Twin Cities 3-Day in 2018, and says that she’s “hooked” on the pink bubble.
“I’ve never felt so much love and support from a community. My dad got involved through my experience and started by crewing in Seattle 2015. We’re both committed to participating in the 3-Day (either by donating, crewing or walking) until there’s a cure. We think it’s important to support this cause and advocate for education and treatment so others don’t have to experience the devastation that comes from this diagnosis.”
The pain of a diagnosis is one Katie’s family knows all too well. There is a history of breast cancer in her family, and she has already lost a grandmother and great-aunt to the disease. That’s why her mother went in for a doctor-recommended mammogram at 39, and was unfortunately diagnosed with breast cancer. Thanks to early detection, Roxanne was able to undergo a double mastectomy and avoid radiation and chemotherapy all together. Since then, she has been cancer-free for two decades, and was there to cheer on “Our Team Rox!” as they crossed the finish line this year in Dallas/Fort Worth.
Katie explains, “It was incredibly special for [me and my dad] to walk together, but what made it even better was having my mom there to cheer us on. She’s the foundation of our family and the reason we walk, so to see her waiting for us at the finish line was an incredible moment.”
It was a moment that was years in the making! Since 2014, Katie has made it clear that she wanted her dad to walk with her. After battling arthritis and a stent in his heart, Dave worked up to walking with Katie this year. They kept each other motivated all weekend long.
“I couldn’t be prouder of him!” Katie said with a smile. “It was literally a dream come true.”
They will continue to walk and dream together for years to come, until we find a cure.
“I think that being vulnerable with others and having a shared vision of a world without breast cancer, is what brings us so close to one another.”
It’s what makes us the 3-Day family. And for Katie’s own family, it’s a vision that she gets one step closer to with each walk.