Congratulations to the 2019 San Diego 3-Day Milestone Award Winner, Betsy Sears

Please join us in congratulating our 2019 San Diego Milestone Award Winner; Betsy Sears! The Susan G. Komen 3-Day® Milestone Award is given at each event to a walker or crew member who has an outstanding history of participation in the Komen 3-Day. At the San Diego 3-Day camp show, we presented Betsy with this special honor.

Betsy has been walking in the 3-Day since 2005, most often alongside her friend and team captain Lindsey Bock. Lindsey captains their team, The Ta-Ta’s from KC, and says the whole team is “blessed” to have Betsy on their team.

Lindsey says, “Betsy is so deserving of this recognition for her contributions and commitment to the 3-Day because she is SO busy with her job (she travels all of the time), visiting New Jersey to see her sweet granddaughters and spending time with her adorable Corgi dogs and husband, she STILL makes it a priority to fundraise for the 3-Day. She is an inspiration to all who know her and a loving, caring, sweet, funny and amazing person!”

Their fellow teammate, and Lindsey’s mom, Caryn Firebaugh echoes Lindsey’s love for Betsy, saying, that she “is such a special person and important part of our team. She blesses us on each step of our 60-mile adventure!”

Now let’s hear from Betsy in her own words…

What was your inspiration to do your first 3-Day?

My inspiration was friend and current team captain Lindsey Bock. She was moved to join the walk after an aunt was diagnosed with breast cancer. She invited me to walk with her. I walked that first 60 miles in memory of my mother-in-law who died of breast cancer many years ago.

What has brought you back to the 3-Day year after year?

The diagnoses of friends and family members continues to motivate me – and the desire to make even a small difference with the funds our team raises. I am so inspired by the hundreds of other walkers “all in” for the same reasons.

What is the secret to your 3-Day fundraising success?

I have the most incredibly supportive and generous friends, family and clients . . . AND my employer, Quest Diagnostics, that has a phenomenal matching program.

What is your best advice to anyone walking the 3-Day?

High quality socks and good walking shoes are very important components of a successful blister-free 60 miles. But the most important element is the camaraderie with amazing team members who love and support each other (and like to talk about food, recipes, and fun facts for 60 miles!)

What’s a fun fact about you?

Early in my career in the clinical field, I drew blood from both Bess Truman and Faye Dunaway.

What are the most important lessons you’ve learned on the 3-Day?

You can persevere through any pain and discomfort; it’s not cancer. Despite any hardships in life we might endure, there is always someone worse off who needs our support and encouragement.

2019 Dallas/Fort Worth 3-Day Event Wrap-Up

This past weekend, the 3-Day headed to Dallas/Fort Worth, the home of Susan G. Komen! We had three sunny fall days of fun, and all our walkers and crew were smiling from ear to ear when they crossed the finish line after 60 miles.

Our journey began at the Opening Ceremony at Tostitos Championship Plaza at The Star. For the second year in a row, we were so excited to start our walk at this iconic Dallas landmark. Walkers, crew and supporters alike all loved posing on The Star, seeing photos projected on the jumbo screen behind our stage, and watching the sun rise to start our 3-Day.

The Opening Ceremony itself featured a welcome from our partner Bank of America, as well as emotional stories from local participants who talked about why they commit 3 days. Then, our breast cancer survivors and those living with breast cancer led our walkers out into the morning sunshine with arms raised and smiles wide.

The first few miles of the walk were packed full of photo ops and smiles! Walkers made their way down Star Boulevard before passing through the much-loved beautiful Hall Park and Dr Pepper Ballpark, home field of the Frisco RoughRiders. It was a chilly fall morning, but our walkers stepped into the sunshine together. They also passed Bank of America headquarters, where hundreds of cheering supporters were waiting to show the 3-Day some love. And all this before pit stop 2!

During lunch at Timberglen Park, we met the inspiring Dallas/Fort Worth Youth Corps! They were a source of smiles and fun all weekend long. ? Then, it was on to the second half of the day! We walked through Carrollton and Addison before arriving back home to our camp at Brookhaven College in Farmer’s Branch.

Though it was a chilly night outside, our walkers opted to snuggle up and camp in the pink tents they knew and loved. After a fun night of BINGO and dancing, not to mention taking on 21.7 miles during Day One, our walkers all slept soundly under the fall night sky.

Day Two included some changes to our route due to the recent tornado in North Dallas, but our walkers and crew all adjusted in order to support the amazing local communities. We are honored by their resilience, and our fantastic local team was able to put together an updated route that was still chock full of fun and enthusiasm.

Saturday began with a short bus ride to the Continental Bridge Gateway Plaza to cross the Margaret Hunt Hill Bridge. The views of the downtown Dallas skyline were perfect, just as the sun rose on another wonderful day ahead. From there, we walked through downtown Dallas, passing iconic spots like The Grassy Knoll, Sixth Floor Museum and Dealey Plaza.

We then gathered together for our Halfway Celebration, complete with everyone’s new favorite flash mob dance! Mark and the Youth Corps got everyone moving and grooving under the Texan sun!

We then made our way through relaxing patches of nature including Cole, Curtis and Glencoe Parks. From there, walkers returned to Brookhaven College for our emotional Honor Ceremony. This heartfelt and uplifting end to our day left all the participants inspired to take on Day Three with renewed passion.

Daylight Saving Time gave everyone an extra hour of sleep, so we arrived bright eyed to our morning bus ride to Allen, Texas. We spent the majority of the morning in Allen and McKinney, where there was plenty of community support and cheering stations. By lunch in Harold Bacchus Community Park, walkers and crew members were all taking in the sunshine and having fun as one big family.

As we closed out our Sunday, we walked through a different part of Frisco than we have in the past, so the views were all new and exciting. It was the perfect, exciting end to our weekend journey.

The Finish Area Festival was back at Tostitos Championship Plaza at The Star, where our final walker of the weekend kicked off our Closing Ceremony! We were thrilled to announce that our 550 amazing Dallas/Fort Worth walkers and 175 fantastic crew members had raised a staggering $1.5 million in the fight against breast cancer! Thank you, Dallas/Fort Worth!

Congratulations to the 2019 Dallas/Fort Worth 3-Day Milestone Award Winner, Pat Spring

Please join us in congratulating our 2019 Dallas/Fort Worth Milestone Award Winner; Pat Spring! The Susan G. Komen 3-Day® Milestone Award is given at each event to a walker or crew member who has an outstanding history of participation in the Komen 3-Day. At the Dallas/Fort Worth 3-Day camp show, we presented Pat with this special honor.

It is certainly well-deserved! Pat is a much loved member of our family, and her dedication to the 3-Day in unparalleled. Her friends say she loves Chardonnay, the outdoors and her dogs. She also “will run circles around everyone” during her 3-Day training.

We learned more about her 3-Day story, and the secrets to her fundraising success, from Pat herself. When she answered these questions, she didn’t know she’d soon be our Milestone Award Winner!

What was your inspiration to do your first 3-Day?

In 2006, I was an 11-year survivor, having been diagnosed in 1995 at the age of 49. My good friend, Kay, was diagnosed and underwent a mastectomy in May of ’06. I kept seeing the 3-Day promotion on TV and every time, I would tear up! I talked Kay into signing up and then had no choice except to sign up myself! We walked in Dallas that year and then in Boston in 2008. I was hooked!

What has brought you back to the 3-Day year after year?

This year will be my 14th walk and I will turn 73 shortly after the Dallas/Fort Worth event – that’s not really old compared to some of the other folks, right? I have two daughters, three granddaughters and a daughter-in-law whom I love dearly. I am determined to do what I can to change the future for them if at all possible! I am the fourth generation in my family to have had breast cancer, and my daughter-in-law’s mom is also a survivor, so you can understand my motivation! The fabulous results of the Susan G. Komen Foundation work is what brings me back year after year. The advances in treatment and early discovery have been so encouraging! There is absolutely no possibility that I can stop as long as I am able!

What is the secret to your 3-Day fundraising success?

My fundraising success comes from a fabulous network of friends and family! Just ask! Facebook Fundraising has been phenomenally successful, and I am blessed to have several teachers in the family who sponsor PINK OUT WEEK at their schools, with the fundraising results being contributed to the 3-Day in my name. I live in a small community, so we don’t have a lot of businesses to call upon for donations, so these alternatives have worked well for me. I send out letters every year and have at least a 90% response! Old school – snail mail! You have to appeal to the targeted age-group. E-mails work better with the younger crowd!

What is your best advice to anyone walking the 3-Day?

Train, train, train! I use the training app and follow the schedule as closely as possible! Get fitted for shoes at a running shop and buy the best shoes you can afford! Got to take care of those feet!

What’s a fun fact about you?

I love to water ski, and my dream is to hike the Appalachian Trail – soon! LOL! Running out of time!

What are the most important lessons you’ve learned on the 3-Day?

The most important lesson the 3-Day has taught me is that we are stronger than we realize, and we are capable of helping so many others. By our dedication to the cause of eradicating breast cancer we can give women hope and the knowledge that others care deeply for them! We CAN make a difference when we come together! I love that we can!