Meet Cathy O’Grady, Philadelphia 3-Day T-Rex

October is an awesome month for many reasons; the Atlanta 3-Day, it’s Fall, and its Halloween! To help with your costume planning, we have some prehistoric inspiration from the Philadelphia 3-Day. Cathy O’Grady has walked the Boston 3-Day twice, and also walked in Philadelphia, Atlanta and Arizona. She’s also crewed the Philadelphia 3-Day twice.

If you were on the Philadelphia 3-Day you may know Cathy, even if you don’t know her face, and it might be hard to know her face – because Cathy is also known as the Philadelphia T-Rex! In addition to her crewing duties, Cathy keeps the walkers laughing and smiling through all 60 miles of their 3-Day journey, as well as giving them some great photo opportunities. What makes her such a dedicated 3-Dayer? Let’s find out!

How did you first become involved with the 3-Day?

I lost my mother to breast cancer and I always wanted to get involved but constantly made excuses why I couldn’t do it. One summer, I was speaking to my friend from Utah and she informed me that she would come to Boston and walk with me. That’s all I needed to hear so I immediately signed up. I never realized what a life-changing experience I was about to undergo.

What were your first 3-Day experiences like?

I and my friend Tracy had NO idea what we were doing. We didn’t train, we wore the wrong type of sneakers and just followed the crowds to walk from Framingham to Waltham. We started as a team of 2 and, by the time we got to Waltham, we were a team of thousand, because everyone was our friend.

Day 2 brought torrential downpours and lots of unhappy walkers…but not us! We hunkered down in our tent and just made memories. […]

The following year, we were a team of twelve. We formed the “Sofia’s Angels” (the same year I started my nonprofit foundation under the same name). We perform real acts of kindness! As small as leaving quarters on gumball machines to giving coats, scarves and other warm items for the homeless, to paying off over 20K in layaways at Christmas time at Toys ‘R’ Us. Most recently we were able to raise 50K to purchase a handicap-accessible van for a family!

When did you first don the T-Rex costume and why?

Last year, I had signed up to crew in Philly. It was my first time crewing and, being a previous walker, I knew how much strength and laughter I took away from seeing people at the cheering stations. I wanted to do something big! What’s big? A T-Rex! So I ordered it and, although I was sweating in it, it was truly so rewarding to see all the walkers and random people smiling and approaching me for pictures.

How do you keep the walkers smiling all weekend?

I have hidden and jumped out to scare them. I have chased them for a hug. I have held their hands as they crossed the finish line and coming back to camp. I danced with them at camp. I smiled more than they did through all of this because I could see how much they loved it. The best part was that people didn’t know who I was so, when I wasn’t wearing the T-Rex, I would hear people talking about finding T-Rex for pictures!

Why is laughter important on the 3-Day?

I think all the emotions we feel during the 3-Day are important. Laughter is contagious! Seeing someone laughing and smiling, you can’t help but do the same.

What are other tips or “must-dos” do you have for 3-Dayers?

You must sit back and just take in all that is happening around you. I rushed through my first 3-Day and felt like I didn’t take the opportunity to really appreciate the experience. Also, talk to others! EVERYONE has a story and everyone is willing to share it.

What keeps you coming back year after year?

I feel like I’m making a difference. I just became a grandmother to a beautiful baby girl and, by the time she is old enough to understand what breast cancer WAS, I want it to be a WAS.

We agree, Kathy – we can’t wait until the day that breast cancer is extinct. Thanks for cheering on our 3-Day family with your terrific T-Rex!

Fall Team Building Activities

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Fall is here, and that means these are some of your last nice weather days to get outside! Before the cold weather hits, spend time in the sun with your 3-Day teammates. Whether you’re preparing for one of our remaining 2017 3-Days, getting a jump start on your 2018 training, or just want to hold a gathering for your 3-Day friends, there’s no better time to get together. We found some fun, fall-weather-ready team building activities to make the most of the season.

The Mine Field

Find an open space, like a park! Place objects like cones, balls, chairs, etc., sporadically across the open space. Have everyone pair up, and make one person on from each pair put on a blindfold. The other person must lead their blindfolded teammate from one side of the open space to the other without stepping on the objects — using only the verbal instructions. No pulling them out of the way! Plus, the blindfolded person cannot speak at all. It’s a perfect exercise in communication, and gets all the teammates moving!

This could also be done at a pumpkin patch or corn maze, with team members guiding each other from one side to the other.

Game of Possibilities

Each person on your team picks an object out of a bag, but don’t show your teammates! One at a time, everyone has to go in front of the group and describe a use for that object. Just don’t accidentally say the name of object! The rest of the team must guess what the player is demonstrating. Pick objects that can be used on the 3-Day, like a tent or fanny pack or even pom poms!

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Masterpiece Murals

Find space outdoors and create 3-Day art! Give each member of your team a canvas and brush, and let everyone create a colorful masterpiece on their canvas. Focus on a 3-Day theme like “More Than Pink” or “Bold Goal,” and help team members create their own 3-Day mood painting. These could also be used as fundraising tools, with large donors receiving the artwork as a thank you.

Spider Web

Tie pieces of string between two trees in varying patterns. This string is the “poisonous spider web” that no one can touch. Your team must get all their members through the opening between the strings without touching it! This is a great one to host leading up to Halloween!

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Dare Jenga

While Jenga is an entertaining indoor game as well, you can now play with giant Jenga games, and take your fun outside! Start by having everyone write dares or questions on all the Jenga pieces. Make them 3-Day-themed if you can! Suggest peopole share their best fundraising tip, agree to bring treats for all the teammates’ tents on the 3-Day, or be the designated water bottle carrier for the team on event.

When all the blocks have dares or questions on them, stack them up like in Jenga. When people pull a block out, they have to perform the dare that’s written on it.

What fun outdoor activities do you have planned for the season?

Insight Into Komen’s 2017 Research Grants

This year, Komen announced $30.7 million in research funding for 98 research grants which will mostly focus on discovering new treatments and improving our understanding of the most lethal forms of breast cancer – helping us move closer to achieving our Bold Goal.

For the first time, Komen will be giving members of the public an opportunity to directly fund specific research by participating in a crowdfunding initiative on Komen’s website.

We wanted to share with you the grant process and how the 2017 portfolio breaks down this year since 75% of net proceeds from your fundraising support this research and we could not accomplish any of this work without you.

Peer-Review

Komen has a renowned peer-review process – lead by Komen’s Scientific Advisory Board (SAB) – that ensures the organization is funding the best and most imperative forms of research. Advocates and breast cancer patients also take part in peer-review, to ensure all aspects of breast cancer needs are being covered. You can learn more about peer-review here.

The 2017 research grants came through the request for applications (RFA) issued last year, prior to the Bold Goal announcement in September of 2016. Still, 41.3% of Komen’s grants are focusing on metastatic breast cancer research and 54.4% of grants are focusing on new treatments.

The 2018 process for new proposals began in April and all applications submitted were asked to directly support Komen’s efforts towards the Bold Goal. Researchers were invited to submit projects that addressed metastasis or resistance to current therapies.

This Year

In 2017, Komen research funding went to institutions in 27 states and across 8 countries. The majority of grants are focusing on new screening technologies, metastatic and aggressive types of breast cancer and understanding and addressing disparities in breast cancer. By targeting metastatic disease – which is responsible for almost all of the nation’s 40,000 annual breast cancer deaths – Komen is hoping to reduce breast cancer deaths in the U.S. dramatically. To date, Komen has funded more than $180 million in metastatic breast cancer research. 2017 funding also includes $17.6 million to early-career investigators which helps to ensure a continuum of breast cancer research across generations.

Komen’s 2017 portfolio includes*:

37 grants expanding our knowledge of metastatic breast cancer and how to better treat it or prevent it;
42 grants looking into triple negative breast cancer, an aggressive subtype of breast cancer; 59 grants focused on new therapies;
24 investigating drug resistance (why drugs stop working in some patients);
9 on disparities in breast cancer outcomes;
As well as projects investigating inflammatory breast cancer, early detection, prevention, Big Data and more.

Crowdfunding

This fall, Komen is making it possible for supporters to make a personal impact on breast cancer research. During National Breast Cancer Awareness Month in October, Komen will highlight four metastatic breast cancer researchers and encourage donations to their specific grants. More information on the crowdfunding initiative will be announced in October.

Thank You!

When you walk and raise money you are making a direct contribution to our grants. Funds that you raise through 3-Day could support a young scientist for a day working toward finding the cures, or could support an oncologist for a day as they run clinical trials to find the cures for breast cancer. We could not fund potentially lifesaving research without your help and support. Thank you for the impact that you make here at Komen and always being More Than Pink.

You can learn more about Komen’s 2017 funding here.