Category Archives: General

A Young Diagnosis – Natalie W.’s Story

We know of the statistic, “1 in 8 women will be diagnosed with breast cancer in her lifetime,” but we often don’t think that could happen to women who are young. Women aren’t advised to get mammograms until age 40, so what happens when you feel a lump in your breast before then? It’s important to be your own best advocate, and that’s exactly what 24-year-old Natalie W. did. 

What is your connection to breast cancer? 

I like to call myself a “live-r.” I am currently living with metastatic breast cancer.  

What is your story? 

In Spring of 2021, I felt a lump in my breast while I was showering but I did not think anything of it at the time; some women just have lumpy breasts. Finally, after some more noticeable changes to the area and my intuition that something was seriously wrong, I decided to get the lump looked at by my primary care physician. Two days later I had an ultrasound, a mammogram and emergency biopsy that afternoon. A week later, in November of 2021, at 24 years old, I was diagnosed with stage II HER2+ invasive ductal carcinoma. Body scans a week later showed a few spots of concern on my bones, further progression than anyone had hoped for, and thus, metastatic breast cancer. Since my diagnosis, I have completed six rounds of chemotherapy, had a total mastectomy, 33 rounds of radiation, and continue to get infusions of Herceptin and Zometa.  

Why did you sign up for the Susan G. Komen 3-Day? 

I actually signed up because I love to walk and challenge myself, not knowing it would turn into an unforgettable experience with my mom and best friends.  

Why do you think early detection is important? 

Early detection saved my life. Early detection means earlier treatment and that is so crucial when dealing with cancer. We need more awareness for young women to check themselves monthly. A mammogram when you’re 40 should not be the first time you take action.  

What advice would you give to other young women going through a breast cancer diagnosis or treatment? 

Some days will suck, and you’ll want to lie in bed and cry and scream, “why me?” and you should give yourself that grace and allow that. However, life moves fast and if you’re able to go out and enjoy it, you shouldn’t let your diagnosis hold you back from living. Believe me, this is no fun and no walk in the park, but if you try to treat your life as normally as possible, it really helps distract you from the obvious.  

Anything else you’d like to add? 

Trust your intuition and your gut. We know our bodies better than anyone. If you think something is wrong, speak up and advocate for yourself and don’t stop until you get to a doctor who will listen.   

Trust yourself and trust your body. Breast cancer does not discriminate on race, ethnicity, age or sex. 

Dallas/Fort Worth 3-Day Route Preview

The Dallas/Fort Worth 3-Day is back after three years! Walkers, crew and volunteers will not be disappointed as this year’s route has some wonderful sights and scenes to be enjoyed over our three-day journey. Don’t forget when you’re out walking to take pictures, post them on your social media platforms and tag us using #DFW3Day for a chance to be featured in the 3-Day social feeds! 

We are so excited to reunite the Pink Bubble at the Hyatt Regency in Dallas. This hotel is not only where we’ll start the route on Days 1 and 3, but also where the Opening Ceremony and Honor Ceremony will be held, as well as 3-Day Main Street and everything it has to offer! 

Day 1 will start off with an exciting and emotional Opening Ceremony where our breast cancer survivors and those living with breast cancer will lead us out onto the route. Once departed from the hotel, we can expect gorgeous views of the Dallas skyline right off the bat. We’ll head into the Oak Lawn neighborhood and walk on and off its Turtle Creek Trails. Next, we’ll pass by the Dallas Country Club before we wander into University Park. Here we’ll cheer on the Mustangs as we pass Southern Methodist University! We’ll start winding down the day with some amazing photo opportunities, passing the Dallas Museum of Art, and the famous Giant Eyeball Sculpture!  

Day 2 will start with a fun bus ride to the beautiful city of Fort Worth! We are so excited to bring the 3-Day back to Fort Worth and can’t wait for you to see this day’s beautiful route. The drop-off and pick-up point will be the same, with a bus ride taking participants back to the Hyatt Regency in Dallas after completing the route. 

We’ll start our journey in Fort Worth seeing Baylor Medical Center. Be sure to take out your phones and cameras, because next up is Magnolia Avenue! It’s a hip, fun and picturesque street filled with restaurants and shops galore. The photo ops don’t stop there, because next up is the Fort Worth Water Gardens. We’ll then pass the Bank of America Tower and Farrington Field before reaching the Fort Worth Botanic Gardens, as seen in the photo above. We’ll end Day 2 at Trinity Park, where buses will take us back to the Hyatt Regency for dinner and our Honor Ceremony. 

Day 3 will start from the hotel as we did on Day 1, exploring more of what Dallas has to offer. First up on our last day together is the Dallas Farmer’s Market! Then we’ll make our way onto the Santa Fe Trailway, where we’ll spend most of our morning.  

Walkers will then get to see Dallas’ beautiful White Rock Lake before heading into the neighborhood of Swiss Avenue. Our final miles together will include Dallas’ Main Street Garden Park and visiting the Giant Eyeball Sculpture one last time before arriving at the Finish Line Festival at Reunion Tower for our memorable Closing Ceremony. 

We’re so excited to reunite for the Dallas/Fort Worth 3-Day! Will you be joining us? Let us know in the comments. Don’t forget to stay tuned for our route preview of the San Diego 3-Day coming soon! 

2022 Chicago 3-Day Top Fundraisers

With 1,200 walkers and 250 crew members, $3.7 million was raised for the 2022 Susan G. Komen Chicago 3-Day. Our top fundraisers were recognized Saturday morning of the event at our Bank of America Breakfast of Champions. Bank of America celebrates our fundraising champions with a collective $25,000 donation to jump start participants on their 2023 fundraising! Join us in congratulating these top fundraisers for their incredible achievements. 

Our top individual fundraiser this year is Christine P.! Christine raised nearly $55,000 this year and has raised $157,000 total in the three years she’s been participating in the 3-Day. Christine received a $300 donation from Bank of America towards her fundraising for next year’s 3-Day. 

Christine shared a fun fact with us, she has rescued two baby raccoons, an opossum, a bird and a turtle! Thank you, Christine, for your incredible fundraising and your kind heart. 

Our top crew fundraiser is Mary Z. Mary raised $4,300 this year and has raised $5,789 total in her 18 years participating in the 3-Day. Mary received a $300 donation from Bank of America towards her fundraising efforts for 2023. 

Mary loves quilting and has handmade over 100 quilts for her friends and family over the last 25 years. What an amazing accomplishment, Mary! 

Our rookie of the year award goes to Heidi F.! Heidi raised over $40,000 for her very first 3-Day! She received a $250 donation from Bank of America towards her fundraising for a 2023 3-Day event. 

Heidi is an ordained reverend and officiated the wedding of one of the 3-Day walkers on her team. 

Our small but mighty team award is captained by our rookie of the year, Heidi (yes, the same Heidi you read about as the Rookie of the Year!) Team “Heels Off” raised over $52,000 together! The team received a $250 donation from Bank of America towards their 2023 fundraising efforts.  

The members of the Heels Off team each have a personal connection to at least one fellow teammate, but the Chicago 3-Day was the first time they had all been in the same place, at the same time! 

Last, but surely not least, is our top fundraising team BC Babes! BC Babes is captained by Beth N. and together raised more than $69,000 this year. In total, the 25 team members have raised nearly $1.6 million in the 17 years they have been a team. The commitment BC Babes has to the Susan G. Komen 3-Day is undeniable! 

The BC Babes are spread out across the US, together their 25 team members live in 13 different states. 

Thank you to all of our top fundraisers, and to all of our 2022 Chicago 3-Day participants who together raised $3.7 million in the fight against breast cancer. Stay tuned this fall for our other top fundraiser blogs from the Dallas/Fort Worth and San Diego 3-Days!