Embracing the Pink Bubble in the Midst of Grief

Erin P. walks the 3-Day for her mother, Bernadette.

This year, Erin P. experienced the kind of heartbreak most people can’t imagine —losing both of her parents just seven weeks apart. Her father passed away first, following years of health challenges, including cancer. Her mother, Bernadette, a two-time breast cancer survivor, died shortly after.

In the midst of navigating her grief, Erin came across the Susan G. Komen 3-Day® and felt inspired to participate for the first time as a way to honor her mother’s strength and resilience amid the relentlessness of breast cancer.

“My parents were fighters. They really were,” Erin said, tears falling from her eyes. “When I saw something about the 3-Day right after my mom died, I knew I wanted to do it.”

Breast Cancer

Bernadette died from metastatic breast cancer

To understand what led Erin to the 3-Day, you have to go back to 2017. That’s when Bernadette was first diagnosed with stage 0 breast cancer. She underwent a lumpectomy, followed by radiation therapy and oral chemotherapy medication.

“After that, the doctors told my mom she was cancer-free, so we marched on with our lives and everything was going so well,” Erin recalled.

Bernadette and her husband

During that time, Erin gave birth to her son, Thomas. He was her parents’ only grandson. But in 2021, Bernadette was diagnosed again, this time with stage 3 triple negative breast cancer. The treatment was grueling. Bernadette had a double mastectomy, more chemotherapy and another bout of radiation therapy which caused a painful wound.

“The burn on her chest from the radiation started off as the size of a quarter, and it kept getting bigger,” Erin explained. “My dad had to do wound care for her, and she later needed a skin graft surgery.”

Despite the physical toll, Erin and her parents moved from New York to Florida to be closer to her sister, who had recently gotten engaged. Erin said for a while, her mom seemed to be doing better. After completing treatment, her scans showed no signs of breast cancer.

Bernadette and her husband In October 2023, Erin’s parents celebrated their 41st wedding anniversary, a milestone that reflected decades of devotion, love and shared medical challenges.

But their joy was short-lived. Soon after, Bernadette received more devastating news. Her breast cancer returned and had metastasized to her bones. Despite the diagnosis, Bernadette was able to spend two more holiday seasons with her family, as well as be at her daughter, Tara’s, wedding.

Erin P. and her family celebrating Christmas before her parents died. But earlier this year, both Bernadette and her husband’s health declined, and they were hospitalized at separate times. Erin and her sister were there for each of them. In a final, tender moment, Bernadette had the chance to say goodbye to her husband before he passed away. She followed seven weeks later.

The 3-Day

The weeks that followed were filled with heavy grief for Erin, but also reflection. She organized a beautiful memorial service where she handed out pink breast cancer awareness ribbons in honor of her mom.

First-time walker Erin P. at the Denver 3-Day.

Then a few months later, she boarded a plane from Florida to the Denver 3-Day.

“I went to the 3-Day with minimal expectations, no training. I just wanted to honor my mom, and my dad too,” Erin said. “I took the extra pink ribbons I had from the memorial, and I gave them to the volunteers, crew and walkers and I told them about my mom.”

Despite a foot injury that prevented her from walking the full route, Erin was determined to finish. She walked as much as she could, and when she reached the final stretch, her son and husband were waiting to cheer her on.

“I really wanted to make sure I finished for my mom.,” she said, “I took my son’s hand, and we crossed the finish line together. It was beautiful. I was so emotional thinking about my mom and my dad and everybody who has gone through breast cancer.”

Erin P. was honored at the Denver 3-Day Celebration of Champions.

To Erin’s surprise, she was honored with the “Best Tug Your Heartstrings Story” award at the Denver 3-Day Celebration of Champions. She’s already fundraising and preparing to walk again, this time at the Tampa Bay 3-Day in 2027.

“The Pink Bubble was overwhelming in the best way,” Erin said. “I got so many hugs from strangers who are part of this big, beautiful community. I’m just so glad I jumped into the 3-Day when I needed it most.”

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Statements and opinions expressed are that of the individual and do not express the views or opinions of Susan G. Komen. This information is being provided for educational purposes only and is not to be construed as medical advice. Persons with breast cancer should consult their health care provider with specific questions or concerns about their treatment.

Walking 60 Miles for the Mom They Lost Too Soon

Brooke and Kelly will walk 60 miles in November at the San Diego 3-Day to honor their mom who died from triple negative breast cancer.

This fall, sisters Brooke M. and Kelly T. will walk 60 miles at the Susan G. Komen 3-Day® in San Diego to honor their mom, Margie, who died from breast cancer nearly 20 years ago. She was just 51.

“On the very day we cross the 3-Day finish line, it will mark the 20 year anniversary of the day we lost our mom to triple negative breast cancer. But it still feels like yesterday,” Brooke said.

The Diagnosis

Margie and her children before she died from breast cancer.

In 2004, Margie, a loving mom of three in their 20s, was recently separated after being married for 27 years when she got the devastating news.

“She sat us down and said, ‘I’m seeing a doctor,’ and I got excited. I thought that meant she was dating,” Brooke remembers with a bittersweet smile. “But she meant she was seeing a doctor for cancer, and it hit us hard.”

Her diagnosis came shortly after a mammogram.

“She had a mammogram, and a month later, on her own self-check, she found the lump,” Brooke said. “That’s why it’s so important to do self-checks, too. Mammograms are great, but you know they don’t catch everything.” Margie before her death from breast cancer

Margie first underwent a lumpectomy, then a mastectomy, chemotherapy and radiation therapy. Through it she remained hopeful and positive.

“We honestly believed in her positivity and thought she was going to beat it,” Brooke said.

“They told us she was in remission for about one month. Soon after the cancer metastasized to her liver,” Kelly added.

But through it all, Margie was able to be there for some of her children’s most memorable milestones.

“She was there for my sister’s wedding. She barely made it to my brother’s wedding, and then she passed away six months before mine,” Brooke said. “It was really hard because those are the moments you want your mom beside you.”

Strength That Carried On

Margie ran her own business and worked alongside two of her kids while undergoing treatment. She showed up for her clients, and for others impacted by breast cancer, until the day she had to be hospitalized.

“The treatments were hard for her, but she didn’t want to show us how hard it was,” Kelly recalled. “She stayed strong for us.”

Margie and her daughters even walked a Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure®, a memory that inspires Brooke and Kelly today as they prepare for the San Diego 3-Day.

Margie’s Marchers

Margie at a Race for the Cure event before her death.

Brooke and Kelly are walking the 3-Day in November as Margie’s Marchers—a team named in honor of their mom, whom they remember as strong, joyful and endlessly giving. As they train for their first 3-Day walk, the sisters carry a mix of excitement, nerves and deep love for their mom who is alive in their hearts, traditions and memories.

“We know she would’ve wanted to be part of this,” Kelly said. “We can’t wait to celebrate her the whole way and be with our families at the finish line.”

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How the Youth Corps Led Kim C. to a Career in Ministry

Kim and Jennifer C. at the Komen 3-Day with angel wings on their headbands.

For many participants, the Susan G. Komen 3-Day® is more than just a walk—it’s the start of something bigger. For Kim C., it was the beginning of a lifelong journey dedicated to service.

“I love working with youth and watching them grow through life,” Kim said. “And a big part of that is because of where I started.”

Kim’s 3-Day story began in 2012, when she joined the Youth Corps at the age of 12. The Youth Corps is a special group of young volunteers, ages 10 to 16, who support walkers during the 3-Day by offering a helping hand, cheering them on and lifting their spirits every step of the way.

Kim first learned about the Youth Corps from her mother, Jennifer, who attended an informational meeting for the Dallas/Fort Worth 3-Day and thought the program could be a great opportunity for her daughter.

Kim at the age of 12 with her mom in her Youth Corps sweater. “She was very shy and unsure of herself at that time,” Jennifer recalled. “But when she started on the Youth Corps, I watched her transformation begin right away.”

Kim volunteered for three years with the Youth Corps, and it became a defining part of her teenage years.

“We would go up to the walkers and ask if we could walk with them for a minute,” Kim said. “It was always mid-day, right before lunch. We got to hear their stories and connect with them, and we would encourage them to keep going because at that time of the day they’d usually be exhausted.”

Kim says those meaningful conversations left a last impression on her, not just because of what she gave but also because of what she received.

“There is something really powerful about getting outside of your own lived experiences and talking with people who’ve been through different struggles,” she said. “That’s a really formational part of life.”

Kim and her mom, Jennifer, at the 3-Day in pink hats.

Now 25, Kim has been involved in the 3-Day for more than half her life. In that time, she supported countless walkers and raised over $38,000 to help end breast cancer.

Today, Kim has dedicated her life to supporting young people. She recently earned a Master of Arts in ministry from Southern Methodist University, graduating summa cum laude. Today, she works full-time as a youth ministry associate at a Texas church, leading mission trips where youth repair houses and serve at food banks.

“For the past 13 years, I have watched Kim blossom from being a Youth Corps member to a 3-Day walker and now as a Youth Corps leader,” Jennifer said. “With each event she participates in, she grows stronger, more confident and realizes how much she enjoys helping people.”

Kim and Jennifer’s dedication to the 3-Day is also deeply personal. Kim was named after her mother’s best friend, lovingly known as, “Big Kim,” who was diagnosed with breast cancer at age 39 and died when Kim was just 5 months old.

“Breast cancer has always been close to home for us, and it always will,” Jennifer added.

This fall, Jennifer will walk in the San Diego 3-Day, while Kim will be leading the Youth Corps in Dallas/Fort Worth. They said they look forward to continuing a shared 3-Day journey they began together more than a decade ago.

Kim and her mom, Jennifer, at the 3-Day holding hands wearing angel wings.