Janet S. is a breast cancer survivor and Susan G. Komen 3-Day® walker who raises money in the sweetest way possible—baking pies! For years, she has been using her mother-in-law’s foolproof recipe to bake delicious pies for her family. When it came time to fundraise for the Komen 3-Day, she began baking and selling mini pies at her friend’s bakery for $5 each, once a week, which they called “Pie Day Tuesday.” She would make two flavors, apple and triple berry (blueberry, raspberry and blackberry) which always sold out rather quickly. Soon, she found herself scaling her pie fundraising by baking in higher quantities for events such as community-wide swap meets, garage sale days, and school bazaars. Seeing how much people loved the pies, she then started to sell them on Facebook a few times a year. Before she knew it, she was offering nine different flavors. “When I do an event or Facebook sale, I usually bake 200 to 250 pies in a two-day period… I have a regular kitchen and one oven, so things get pretty crowded.”  

Janet’s pies are made entirely from scratch and her husband assists in tasks like peeling apples and managing the kitchen during busy baking periods. She has even involved her grandchildren in the pie-making process, teaching them how to roll dough. Immediately after the San Diego 3-Day each year, Janet kicks off the next year’s fundraising by baking about 30-35 full-size Thanksgiving pies to raise money for breast cancer treatment and research, a cause that is near to her heart. Janet was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2002 after her annual physical check-up when her doctor performed a breast exam where he found nothing, but suggested she get her first mammogram anyway. Janet tended to procrastinate but didn’t delay this time, a decision that saved her life, since the cancer was detected at an early stage (DCIS). She underwent a lumpectomy followed with five years of Tamoxifen treatment before she joined the Pink Bubble. She was inspired to walk when she learned that her friend and fellow survivor Darcy H. was participating, and Janet knew that she wanted to do something to advocate for early detection. She and her daughter Jessi C. began walking the following year at the 2007 Seattle 3-Day where they participated yearly until transitioning to San Diego in 2022. They have since walked the San Diego 3-Day in 2023 and have plans to return in 2024.  

She encourages others not to hesitate in asking for donations, noting that people are often willing to contribute when they know the cause. In addition to baking pies, Janet’s family has organized fundraising events like bunco nights and “bowling for boobies” at a local bowling’ alley which she says always have a great turnout. To Janet, the Pink Bubble is a place of solidarity, gratitude, and determination to overcome the disease which has affected so many of us. She expresses her appreciation for the support of others during her walks and emphasizes the importance of gratitude throughout her journey.