Tag Archives: 3-Day Family

Why I Walk: How Mark S.’s 3-Day Training Supported His Health Journey

“I know that there are probably very few others on the 3-Day who will understand my excitement to finish 60 miles while battling my illness. I know there are many others who are battling other challenges like mine.”

The 3-Day is an amazing accomplishment for anyone who participates. The fundraising, training, and walk weekend itself push many people out of their comfort zone. Mark S. knew he would be one of those people when he decided to join the Philadelphia 3-Day this year. But Mark also knew that getting out of his comfort zone would be a very good thing!

He was diagnosed with MdDS, Mal de Debarquement Syndrome, in 2016, and has been experiencing a variety of health issues since then.

That, combined with weight gain over the last few decades due to a variety of reasons, led Mark to need — and want! — to make a change in his physical fitness.

“I read that walking helps reduce MdDS symptoms. I had tried walking for exercise many times to try and lose weight before MdDS, so walking seemed like a good option for me. When I first started walking, my limit was ¾ of a mile in 20 minutes. It took another 20 minutes after the walk for my MdDS symptoms to decrease to their “normal” levels. After all my training, I now walk 3 miles in 45 minutes during my lunch break, and the time it takes for my MdDS symptoms to recover from my walks is substantially shorter.”

While he was working on his fitness, Mark decided to join the 3-Day to really jumpstart his progress.

“Walking 60 miles for breast cancer research seemed like the perfect match for my goals. There is no way I could have undertaken this challenge when I was at my heaviest; I could not even manage to walk an entire mile! I imagine the depression, anxiety, and helplessness I often experience with MdDS are some of the same emotions someone has to conquer as they fight breast cancer. But we can all do this!”

Mark began participating in 3-Day training walks, as well as extending his own personal walks. That, combined with healthier eating habits, helped him lose more than 100 pounds!

All of that work culminated in October, when Mark began his first 3-Day in Philadelphia. We caught up with him after he crossed the finish line with a big smile on his face, and he told us how much those 60 miles had meant to him…

The 3-Day weekend was an amazing experience! It was emotional for me personally at the start and of course at the finish. Here I was, challenged to walk even one mile for exercise in early 2018, yet starting a 60-mile journey in October 2019. I never thought I would be at this point where walking this much would be part of my regular daily schedule.

During the walk, it was incredible to talk to others. I met a man who was married for almost 50 years before his wife lost her battle. There was a young mother who just recently finished her final treatment who was walking with her mother. I passed a woman who just had knee surgery four weeks prior but was giving the journey her best. There was a man in an orthopedic boot determined to participate in all 3-Day events this year. The stores were inspiring and will stick with me forever.

I also can’t forget about the Crew! The kids in Youth Corps who truly get what it means to serve others. The people who take the time to decorate the inside of a port-a-potty (I even had to take a picture of the inside of one!). The Safety Crew who made sure walkers were safe. There were so many people giving of their time to make these three days possible!

My walking journey is not finished!

We love seeing walkers like Mark accomplish new goals and reach new heights on the 3-Day and we’re honored to be a part of their wellness journeys.

Youth Corps Rock Star: Rosie from the New England 3-Day

Our 3-Day Youth Corps are a truly special group of young people. They work so hard during our 3-Day weekends to support both walkers and crew members, and that doesn’t even include all the work they do throughout the year to fundraise for the 3-Day. We are honored to have all of them as a part of our pink bubble.

One amazing new addition to our Youth Corps is Rosie Warfield, who raised nearly $5,000 as a member of the New England 3-Day this year. She fundraised tirelessly, posting videos on social media and holding a fundraising paint night for the 3-Day.

Rosie’s paternal grandmother died of breast cancer when she was only 12. Since then, Rosie and her whole family has increased their dedication to Susan G. Komen. That dedication came to fruition this year on the New England 3-Day.

We talked to Rosie and her mom Maggie about what the 3-Day means to their family and even got some fundraising tips from Rosie!

Tell us about your family’s connection with the 3-Day.

Maggie: My mother and I did our first Boston 3-Day in the summer of 2004. Rosie was only 15 months old. That previous December, my mom’s best friend Madelyn had passed away from a recurrence of breast cancer and while she was dying, my mom got a breast cancer diagnosis.

This is how we got involved! In the ten years that the 3-Day was in Boston, my mom and I walked twice and then crewed the remainder of the years. Rosie always wanted to be part of the Youth Corps in New England but didn’t have the chance until this year.

Rosie’s “why” for raising money is so BIG to her because breast cancer has affected both of her grandmothers.

What are some of your best fundraising tips?

Maggie: Rosie performed Live Videos on my Facebook page to entice my friends to donate. In person, she was passionate in fundraising for the cures! She connected with a friend of mine who offered to host a paint night for her, too. She then contacted her friends, and we posted more on social media.

Rosie: I set up an event on Facebook to advertise my paint night and invited all my friends. The woman that offered to do this gave over 50% of the paint night proceeds to the 3-Day. I also asked for raffle items from friends and family and received a few items to raffle off.

I sold raffle tickets to people that could not attend the fundraiser. I filled out their tickets and placed them in the buckets.

I also found a venue to have this paint night and the woman who owned the place sold all of her jewelry for $7 apiece and 100% of the proceeds went to the cause. It was a very successful and fun event!

What’s your advice for first-time Youth Corps members?

Rosie: My advice is to set lofty goals and use your voice! Most adults won’t say no to kids raising money for this cause! Passion for the cause truly brings the money in the door! I try to keep the 3-Day spirit alive in many ways. During the month of October, I wear something pink every single day. Many teachers and students have asked me about it, and I told them it was for breast cancer awareness.

What are some of Rosie’s best memories from the 3-Day?

Maggie and Rosie: One of the most impactful moments for her was when she reached the finish line, and all of the walkers were coming in. With all the energy they had to spare, the whole Youth Corps cheered them on across the finish line.

She loved walking walkers across the bridge near the Boston Children’s Museum towards the end of the weekend. She also loved getting to know them and chatting with them.

Her favorite cheer was the Betty Crocker one and “No skates, no scooters, we’re walking for our hooters!”

Maggie: Rosie loved the 3-Day and her energy and enthusiasm was contagious! She was befriended by a group of walkers who simply adored her. She truly believes that everyone deserves a lifetime. She was so emotional when she went into the remembrance tent. She told me after that breast cancer has taken way too many women. She will keep fighting for a cure. Rosie puts her heart and soul into whatever she does.

What does “commitment” mean to Rosie and your family?

Maggie: Commitment to Rosie and our family means never giving up in the face of adversity. We are committed to a life without breast cancer! She always loved her quiet one-on-one time with her grandmother Warfield watching TV and cuddling. She also loved the trips we took with Grandma Warfield even when she was battling cancer. She loves spending time with her Grammy especially walking around shopping, going to theater, or just plain hanging with Grammy.

We are honored to have giving and committed children like Rosie in our Youth Corps family. Thank you to everyone who has served, or will continue to serve on the Youth Corps. You are the sunshine in our 3-Day world!

Happy Halloween from the 3-Day Awarewolves

What’s that? Do you hear that howling? Is it Halloween? Or is it…The Awarewolves?!

This amazing team is a staple on the 3-Day, and their costumes keep them Halloween-ready all year long! They walked with us in New England in September, but their 3-Day journey began long before that. It began when Linda Lafragiola was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2011, when she and her sister Kathi Elliot decided that breast cancer would not beat them.

Linda explains, “Since being diagnosed, I decided to raise awareness about early detection and how important it is. Participating in the 3-Day allows me to share my story and experiences with any and everybody, year-round.”

What began as a promise, and a walk, between two sisters, has now grown to a whole team! That team includes their very own Awarewolf, Kathi’s beautiful Siberian Husky, Nika. Nika joined many of Linda and Kathi’s early training walks and quickly became their mascot.

After one of those such walks, the sisters started sharing possible team names with Kathi’s husband, David and her daughter Paige. They were talking about how everyone on the walks jokingly asks if Nika is a wolf, and right on cue, David began singing “Werewolves of London.” Suddenly, the group was singing “Werewolves in San Diego” instead, in honor of their upcoming walk in California.

From there, they all talked about how their team mission was about awareness and early detection, in honor of Linda’s own early diagnosis. So, David came up with AwareWolves. Paige created the team logo. Kathi coined the tagline, “Don’t be afraid — Early detection saves lives”. Linda found the amazing hot pink wolf ears. But they each came up with their own signature howls! And from there, a team was born.

More of how their story and team began, in Kathi’s own words…

“Linda learned that she had breast cancer in 2011. Fortunately, it was an early diagnosis and the cancer was limited to a small tumor. She underwent surgery that summer, followed by six weeks of radiation.

Mid-way through her treatment a friend asked Linda to join her at the Susan G. Komen 3-Day in San Francisco in June 2012. She thought, ‘60 miles in 3 days…if I can survive breast cancer then I can do that!’

As a sister of someone who is going through something like breast cancer, you try to find ways to be helpful. Driving Linda to radiation appointments was something I could do. When Linda said she was walking, I said, ‘Why not me too?!’ From then on, the drives to radiation became a time to plan fundraisers and future training walks.

Linda’s last radiation appointment was on November 1, 2011 and the next morning, we laced up our sneakers and started training. Several months later, we had logged more than 1,000 miles and raised over $5,000 dollars each – enough for two 3-Day walks. So, we decided to register for the San Diego 3-Day in November 2012, as well.

Clearly walking 60 miles is no small feat, especially factoring in inclement weather and hilly terrain, but any 3-Day participant will tell you that the aches, pains and blisters are worth it.

Linda says her first 3-Day in San Francisco was emotional, inspiring and eye opening. It really hit home.

She told me, ‘I met so many women and men whose lives had been touched by breast cancer. It was mind boggling! It helped me to go from feeling like a victim — saying why did this happen to me? — to actually doing something about it.’

Not long after completing our second 3-Day in San Francisco, Linda and I officially started our team, cleverly named…The AwareWolves.”

But that was only the beginning of so many amazing memories for their team and their sisterhood!

Since then, they have walked in nearly ten 3-Days in different cities, and their team has only grown in number and recognition!

“The AwareWolves pack has grown, just by the people we have met along our journey,” explains Linda. “Some of them are veteran 3-Day walkers and crew members. Some are first-time walkers who have joined us to see what it’s all about. Everyone loves our signature ears and I swear some people have joined just to rock the ears and howl with the pack! ? And, we’re ok with that! Our team is made up of people from all over the US and although we walk at different speeds, we know we are there for each other. ? We are known for taking our time, enjoying the event and everything that comes with being in the pink bubble.”

Though in the past the Awarewolves have been in that pink bubble for a few Halloween weekend walks, this year Linda will be part of a group costume, which is a Pac-Man theme, instead!

She and Kathi are gearing up to walk in San Diego in November, and even though Halloween might be in the rearview mirror at that point, you can expect some AwareWolves on the San Diego 3-Day trails. Just keep a pink ear perked up for their howl!