Category Archives: Inspiration

The C-Side Sisters + Mister

Sandy, Tammy, and Cara make up three generations participating this year in Tampa Bay

“When my mom started walking in 2005 in Tampa Bay, she really didn’t have a personal connection to breast cancer,” mentioned Cara, who was gearing up to serve lunches to the hundreds of Susan G. Komen 3-Day® participants this weekend in Tampa Bay. “My mom, Tammy, heard a radio spot that was announcing that the Komen 3-Day was coming to Tampa, and she just decided to do it.”

The C-Side Sisters + Mister gather at lunch for a team photo

Tammy then got her mother, Sandy, to walk with her team “The C-Side Sisters” in 2007. “I loved it, but 60 miles is a long way!” laughed Sandy. “Most people don’t realize that lunch and the Pit Stops are a lot of work. We love to do it, but we’re glad to have some men join us this year.” She points to Sergio, her granddaughter Cara’s boyfriend and the one of a few ‘misters,’ who have been helping out for the last three years. This year Cara and Sergio are co-captains of the 27-person team that serves lunches, coordinates medical care, and helps walkers finish their day strong.  One way to perk up the walkers who are traveling 20 miles a day is to dress their lunch spot (and themselves!) in a stylish theme.

The C-Side Sisters seem to really enjoy their Mister (Sergio who is helping out on the Lunch Crew)

“We’ve been the ‘lunch ladies’ for awhile now, and the Tampa Bay 3-Day walkers have come to expect it,” explained Cara, “but we also change the theme on Day 2 of the route. We’re ‘tacky tourists’ on the second day.”

The C-Side Sisters + Misters have been busy over the years. Since 2005, they have raised over $365,000 for breast cancer research and funds for local help to fund mammograms and other prevention and screening. Sandy explained that one of the big fundraisers for the last few years has been their golf tournament ‘Golf For a Cure.’ “It’s been a lot of fun. We’ve had great sponsors and people pay a certain amount to golf certain holes. We had a hole-in-one winner two weeks ago and the person won a 2014 Ford Escape!” The team laughed thinking that the dealership thought that no one would actually make a hole-in-one.

The Lunch Crew gathers after setting up for the hundreds of 3-Day participants ready to walk through in Tampa Bay

This is a great team with three generations of participants this week. Don’t forget to thank your lunch crew this weekend and all the crews that make the 3-Day® possible!

Five members of Team “C-Side Sisters” roll through Pit Stop 1 at Tampa Bay 3-Day

From Pain to Gain – and $1.4 Million

When Tina McDonough was asked to walk in the 2007 Seattle 3-Day with three friends in honor of her friend Michelle, who was living with breast cancer,  she couldn’t refuse. She remembers vividly how she felt physically while walking those 60 miles. “I had not trained enough, and was hurting – bad!” Tina confessed. That, she thought, would be her first – and last – 3-Day walk.

When Michelle lost her fight against cancer just two months later, Tina  was no longer deterred by her memories of the physical discomfort of her first walk. “I watched Michelle’s 12-year-old daughter and her husband fall apart,” said Tina. “Attending her funeral was one of the hardest things I’ve ever done. I knew I had to do something, so I started a team to walk in her memory. I figured training and fundraising as a group would make it easier.” So her team, Valley Girls and Guys, was born.

VGG 1

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The Virgin Walkers of Atlanta

“I was just hearing about breast cancer all the time as a stylist,” said Sandy, a hair stylist in Mobile, Alabama. She called up her best friend Elizabeth to propose walking the Susan G. Komen 3-Day® to raise money for breast cancer research.

“I said ‘no’ at first!” recalled Elizabeth, while they both rested at lunch in the suburbs north of Atlanta on Day 2. They laughed despite some aches and pains, but seemed to be enjoying the walk, having finished more than 30 miles total. “I am doing the walk for my grandmother who passed away: today would have been 94 years old!”

Elizabeth and Sandy on the last day of the Atlanta 3-Day

The two women are among a large contingent of first-time Komen 3-Day walkers here in Atlanta, Georgia. They walk a total of 60 miles over three days and have each raised over $2300 for breast cancer research and awareness. In the 3-Day community, they are often playfully dubbed “Virgin Walkers.” After a full 21 miles on Day 1, and 19.3 miles on Day 2, they are ‘newbies’ no more. Elizabeth and Sandy are lucky to have someone else to walk with, but many show up to walk the challenging course without knowing anyone. ‘Riding solo,’ these brave souls often meet other teams and individuals to walk with.

Kathryn and Gloriela get ready for Day 2 on the Atlanta 3-Day

Gloriela, originally from Panama and living now in Atlanta, met up with another first-time walker, Kathryn, on the route on Day 1. “Opening Ceremony was so inspirational,” mentioned Gloriela at breakfast at the start of Day 2 in Atlanta. “I love the organization of the whole process, and I love the motorcycles and bikers who help keep us safe. They dance, turn on music, and cheer for us.” Kathryn remembered her sweet friend who passed away from breast cancer about the same time her son was born. They felt better having met each other and found someone to walk with!

Jasmin, Brailey, Alex, and Krista stop in Piedmont Park (with unidentified photobomber-walker)

Some first-time walkers are initiated into teams that have been walking for awhile. “Oh, he’s hurting. He’s hurting real bad,” laughed Krista, Jasmin, and Brailey about their new recruit Alex. Their team, Project Perk, was founded four years ago by Jasmin who started walking to honor her grandmother. Krista then got Alex to join the team who had made the comment, “It’s just walking!” On Day 3 in Piedmont Park, he laughed, agreeing that he was hurting. The team was in good spirits, though, and looked to finish the 60-mile route strong.

Jennifer and Lorie, two first-time walkers on the Atlanta 3-Day, stopped long enough to sum up the event: “Twelve girls, eight blisters, three days, two trips to the medical tent, and one great event.” Their supportive team was decked out in pink wigs on the last day of the event and were cruising along.

Jennifer and Lorie are first-time walkers embedded in their supportive team

First-time walkers are well loved on the 3-Day, and even if they are alone when they start, they are soon swept up by a team and made one of their one. The spirit of the 3-Day is that everyone wins and that everyone does the best they can! See you at Closing Ceremony at Turner Field!