The 2024 Susan G. Komen Denver 3-Day had 700 walkers and 220 crew members who raised $2.3 million in the fight against breast cancer. To wrap up Day 1, our top fundraisers were recognized Friday evening at the Bank of America Celebration of Champions. This year, Bank of America is donating $33,000 to the top fundraisers to jump start their 2025 fundraising efforts. Join us in congratulating these teams and individuals for their incredible achievements and contributions!
We kicked off the celebration by recognizing our crew, who raised a combined total of $99,000 at the 2024 Denver 3-Day! Our Top Individual Crew Fundraiser, Alison G., raised over $3,700 this year at her 31st event, with her lifetime total surpassing $75,000. She was rewarded with a $500 donation toward her 2025 Susan G. Komen 3-Day® fundraising thanks to our National Presenting Sponsor, Bank of America! Next up, the incredible Hotel crew was recognized for the more than $10,000 raised by all 36 members captained by Clay R., making them the Top Crew Fundraising Team.
The Denver 3-Day Youth Corps showed us that it’s never too early to make a difference, surpassing an outstanding $13,000 in the fight against breast cancer. Our Top Three Youth Corps Fundraisers demonstrated their commitment to spreading awareness and raising funds to end this disease once and for all. Finnegan B. raised over $1,500 by the fundraising deadline (and at the time of publishing this blog , he’s surpassed $2,000!) at his first event and will receive a Komen 3-Day branded Hydro Flask as a token of our appreciation and to spread awareness wherever he brings it. First timers Baily S. and Liora N. were also celebrated for raising over a commendable $1,400 and $760, respectively. We are constantly blown away by Youth Corps’ commitment to the breast cancer cause.
With our crew accounted for, we continued by celebrating our Rookie of the Year, Dawn S., a breast cancer survivor who entered the Pink Bubble with gusto, raising more than $5,300 for her first 3-Day®! Bank of America then gave her a head start on her 2025 fundraising with a $500 donation. The crowd applauded Dawn for her contributions and tenacity to raise such a tremendous amount of money at her first event. We hope to see her back in the Pink Bubble next year!
We then recognized our Top Individual Fundraiser, Laura P., for raising more than $57,000 who, in her four years walking the 3-Day, has single-handedly raised over $176,000 toward breast cancer research and treatment. This year, Laura formed a team, Miles for a Cure, co-captained by Mary Ann I., which was awarded our Small but Mighty Team Award and Top Fundraising Team Award as their trio raised more than $94,500 in their first year as a team.
Whatever your fundraising goals for the 2024 Denver 3-Day, the effort you put in and the funds you raise are essential to ending this disease. On behalf of Bank of America and Susan G. Komen®, thank you for all that you do to help fight breast cancer!
The Pink Bubble returned to Denver, including a day in Boulder, on September 27-29! Courageous participants walked amongst the mountains in the Mile High City to complete 60, 40 or 20 miles over the course of three days. Together, 700 walkers and 220 crew raised a total of $2.3 million for breast cancer research, community health, patient care and advocacy.
Day 1
The Susan G. Komen Denver 3-Day began with a beautiful Opening Ceremony, an opportunity for walkers and crew to gather for the first time before setting out on the route. The spirit of the Pink Bubble radiated as the room filled with excited participants ready to embark on Day 1 of the Susan G. Komen Denver 3-Day. Our incredible speakers, Mona D. and Jana L., shared their reasons for walking; Mona for her sisters and Jana as a 27-year survivor. Following their heartfelt stories, the room filled with emotion as we welcomed Tari P. to raise the Promise Flag in honor of those who we’ve lost to breast cancer. She spoke about her mother who died on Super Bowl Sunday, stating “I didn’t watch that game because I was watching her take her final breaths, but she was the real winner that day, gaining her wings and reuniting with her sister and mother who previously lost their battles with breast cancer.”
Before raising the flag, Tari continued, “Cancer treatments continue to advance, and my mother benefited greatly from those medical breakthroughs. I know that the money I’ve raised over my 21 years with the Komen 3-Day helped fund these advances, giving my mother the precious time to see her grandchildren graduate from college, get married, and have children…. My mom chose joy until her very last day, and I promise to do the same.” With the flag flying high, we took a moment of silence to honor those who have lost their lives to breast cancer and then proudly said their names aloud as walkers embarked on their journey.
With the sun shining, walkers were led by survivors and thrivers for a spirited Day 1! They soon found themselves at the iconic Coors Field, followed by a slumber party themed pit stop 1, equipped with a pink tent, crew members in pajamas, and a pillow fight to top it all off! Hydrated and fueled up, walkers then passed by the Denver Zoo with supporters cheering them on as they walked toward the Lowry District, where a western themed lunch awaited. As they made their way in, walkers were greeted by the Lunch Sheriff who directed them toward a delicious spread of turkey sandwiches, garden salad, and sides. Fueled and rested, they continued the second half of their day, where they passed by the Governor’s Residence at the Boettcher Mansion and the Pioneer Monument Fountain before heading toward camp.
Greeted by soft pretzels and massage chairs, walkers rested their feet as we awaited the last walker, who happened to be one of the morning’s speakers, Jana. The Celebration of Champions soon commenced where Bank of America rewarded our top fundraisers with donations up to $500 for their 2025 3-Day ® fundraising. Keep an eye out for our blog post about the top fundraisers coming soon! Our coaches then honored the Milestone Award Winner and Crew Impact Award Winner. Our National Presenting Sponsor then hosted a raffle where five Denver 3-Day participants were awarded a swag bag along with a $250 toward their 2025 fundraising efforts. To wrap up an exciting evening, the men of Mohawk, Alec and Logan, hopped on stage to share an awesome 3-Day rap for the second year in a row! Walkers headed to bed with a fresh tune in their head as they rested their feet for the next day.
Day 2
This sunny day began with 2-Day Walkers checking in and everyone hopping aboard a 3-Day bus to Boulder for a scenic route through the Rocky Mountains. The first to board was the Denver Ultimate Event Experience winner Mary Ann I., who raised over $6,200 during the eligible period for her 16th 3-Day. The buses rolled into the beautiful East Boulder Park where walkers were greeted by porta potties and a hydration station to ensure they started their day on the right foot.
With mountains in every direction, no matter where the route took them, walkers were in for a stunning view. As they continued, they were met with the Memorial Mile next to a community garden, serving as a beautiful juxtaposition as we honored those who have lost their lives while celebrating the growing life in the surrounding fields. After reflection on the impact of community, they were soon welcomed to a delicious lunch at the halfway point of their 60-mile journey! From here they continued through the hilly streets of Boulder with stops at a pirate themed pit stop 3 and a gold medal worthy pit stop 4 adorned with Olympics regalia. Just three miles later, buses awaited our courageous participants with comfortable seating for a ride back to Denver.
As walkers paraded into camp, they were greeted with delicious Tex-Mex cuisine, Bank of America Massage Chairs, and some much-anticipated air conditioning before the Honor Ceremony commenced. The Youth Corps kicked things off by sharing who inspires them to participate in the 3-Day and were followed by speakers Dennis, a male breast cancer survivor, and Shiela, who commits for her late sister Sandy. Dennis began his speech by asking the room to raise their hand if they had ever met a male breast cancer survivor which resulted in only a few hands raised. As the room fell silent, he shared that he has only ever met five other male survivors, including his brother, and spoke to the importance of male breast cancer advocacy. From Dennis’ experience and that of his brother, even some of the most well-renowned doctors in large metropolitan cities are not equipped with the resources to fully detect male breast cancer in its early stages. He shed tears while speaking to the importance of early detection and self-advocacy in the doctor’s office for men and women alike. Shiela took to the stage and spoke about her beautiful sister Sandy who she and her team walk in honor of. “At the beginning of this year, our lives changed forever, and our 3-Day walks took on a whole new meaning. On January 2nd, the best sister, mom, aunt, wife, grandma, sister-in-law, cousin, co-worker, and friend left this earthly world. Now, she’s our special pink butterfly angel in Heaven,” Shiela shared. As she stepped off the stage, the 3-Day community lit their candles in tribute to the friends and family who continually inspire their participation. After sharing many hugs and tears, walkers and crew called it a night and rested up for their final day of the Denver 3-Day.
Day 3
Sunday began by welcoming our 1-Day Walkers into the Pink Bubble before all walkers made their way out on the route, ready for the final day in the Mile High City! I connected with Dawn and Chris, who were spending their day honoring their sister and wife, Rae, a long-time walker who lost her battle with breast cancer on this day seven years ago. To represent their final day with her on September 29, 2017, team Keeping Abreast repped jerseys with the number 29 on the back to honor Rae. At her very last 3-Day in 2017, they recorded a video of Rae singing the song she was known for, “good morning, good morning,” and, as her loved ones set out on the route on the anniversary of her passing, they were met with a route safety crew member singing the beloved tune. As chills fell down their spines, they felt more connected to Rae than they could have imagined and walked the rest of the way with a reminder of why we walk.
Walkers enjoyed sunshine and scenic views all day long as they passed through RiNo Arts District, over South Platte River, and ventured into Edgewater. With the Colorado sun radiating strongly, walkers were offered hydration and food at pit stops, grab & gos and the lunch stop, where they had the chance to take a cute photo in front of the flower wall. After resting their feet, walkers continued their journey as our friends from XPO cheered them on and offered snacks, candy, water, and sports drinks to give the extra push through their final miles. For those needing a little boost from one spot to another, fun sweep vans like the Gnome Mobile came to the rescue! Whether on foot or in a sweep van, walkers passed by Sloans Lake Park and Empower Field at Mile High Stadium before parading into the Finish Line Festival at the Tivoli Quad.
As they proudly stepped across the Mohawk Pink Carpet, walkers were celebrated by friends, family, crew, and Susan G. Komen® for their tremendous accomplishment. As we anticipated the last walker, participants were able to take photos, get some swag, and enter an awesome raffle at the Nature’s Bounty tent before retrieving their victory shirt and Bank of America medal. We welcomed the last walker home before our spectacular Crew lined the way toward the stage as our courageous survivors and thrivers walked in, grounding us in why we walk. We gave a loving goodbye to our 3-Day Host Cati Diamond Stone, who will be entering a new chapter of her life, passing the torch over to Beverly Kruse who will be joining us at the Dallas/Fort Worth and San Diego 3-Day events. It was then revealed that the 700 walkers and 220 crew members of the 2024 Susan G. Komen Denver 3-Day raised a collective $2.3 million in the fight against breast cancer. The funds raised will be used to invest in cutting-edge research that will lead to new, more effective treatments, working in communities across the country to ensure all people can access the care they need, and mobilizing passionate supporters to make certain the voice of the breast cancer community is heard by policymakers.
It was a wonderful return to Denver, and we can’t wait to do it all over again in 2025!
In 2016, I was 48 years old and had gotten my annual mammogram/sonogram at the very posh and social New York City office of radiologist Dr. Miriam Levy. One of many easy, breezy routine visits where tiny, porcelain-skinned, wild-red-haired Dr. Levy would give me a clean bill of health from behind three ginormous computer screens with images of my cancer-free breasts. I left with a healthy report card in hand, excited to add that white paper scrap to my collection from prior years. I felt organized, I was taking such good care of “the girls” and I wanted to celebrate my lucky fortune. I will never really understand why I had that reaction that year, but I emailed my boss, and said I wouldn’t be returning to the office. Instead, I went to Sheeps Meadow in Central Park, one of my all-time favorite spots. I laid flat on the bright green grass and looked straight up at the blue sky and felt very, very grateful. I even took a picture of the lawn that day. It was risky to not go back to the office, but a greater voice was urging me to honor my health by grounding and thanking the universe. There are so many anecdotes to that day’s visit to Dr. Levy’s office; running into an old work friend who shared the same birthday that I hadn’t seen in years; the woman who told us she comes in every six months, instead of waiting a full year, because the waiting was too much to bear; the woman who said she always gets worried when it takes too long to see Dr. Levy after the tests because it means bad news. And it does, as I found out the very next year, when I went back in at age 49.
I didn’t run into anyone that visit, and I did wait a very long time for Dr. Miriam to call me back to her office. But I was too naive to be scared, so I just waited as we all do at busy doctors’ offices. She called me in, looking paler and tinier this year, even though her hair was bigger. She said there was something suspicious that we should biopsy, so I said, with no fear, “Let’s do it! Can I do it now?” And because it’s New York City and a posh office, the answer was yes. So, a smush, clip and ouch later, I was all done, once again feeling very organized that I was taking care of “the girls.”
It was a few days later on Thursday, March 23, 2017 and I was taking a cab down the West Side Highway to work at 1 World Trade Center. My cell phone rang and Dr. Levy was on the other line. “I’m delighted to hear from her,” I thought. That was a rookie reaction. It was not a social call; it was a call to tell me that I had cancer. I was teary-eyed in the back of a yellow taxi, speeding down the West Side Highway with my window all the way open, looking out at the Hudson River. My cell phone was pressed to my ear, the cabbie looking at me through his rear-view mirror, listening to me sob. I had breast cancer.
I was in utter disbelief. I managed to end the call with Dr. Levy, pay the cab driver, show my badge to security, remain calm in a crowded elevator, make it to the 18th floor, walk down the corridors, past offices with colleagues in them, slide my glass office door open, then shut, dial my parents at home and bawl. “I have breast cancer,” I stuttered. Four life-changing words I’d never thought I’d utter. That moment feels like yesterday, but when I look back at the selfie I took in my office that day after hanging up with my parents, I feel like I look like a baby. A lost baby, and I realize that was a lifetime ago.
That Friday, in an unbelievable turn of events, I was let go from my job. After 11 years of working with that company, the one-two punch of a cancer diagnosis and losing my job was devastating. It all felt like the end of life. Cancer is scary, especially when it happens to you, and in New York, top media jobs are far and few between. It is very hard to land one, especially at the age of 49. I suddenly felt very old and frightened, and to this day I still feel the ramifications of that one, two punch.
Treatment was with an excellent team at Memorial Sloan Kettering. My breast surgeon performed a successful lumpectomy, and out to dinner that night I went. Treatment for my stage 1, IDC breast cancer, Onco score 18, included chemotherapy, radiation and Tamoxofin. It was grueling, and I spiraled into early menopause with hot flashes, falling spells, and crying jags. My mental health crashed. Tamoxofin comes with a warning about mental health side effects which I took seriously, conferring with both my psychiatrist and my oncologist. We all agreed I should try a half dose for a month and see how it goes. I also had to stop taking my anti-depressant/anti-anxiety medication. And everything seemed OK, didn’t it? So, I moved on to the full dose, but after four months my brain chemistry changed. The trauma of the cancer diagnosis and the job loss led to a total identity crisis that was amplified by chemo-induced menopause. I was no longer just fighting breast cancer. I was also fighting for my mental health, and that has turned out to be a fight for life, and the fight of my life. I used to blame the loss of my mental health on the Tamoxofin, but the truth is, I was struggling with my life. I wasn’t happy; I was single, lonely, working very hard in a stressful job in a tough city. I didn’t have it all, and I wasn’t grateful enough for what I did have.
I wasn’t on my feet yet when a second cancer in my other breast appeared in July of 2019. I wasn’t strong enough for a brutal second round of fighting, and I was more alone than ever, having scared and alienated many friends and family. They had known me as a funny, independent woman. They did not like, nor could they handle, the scared child I had become following my diagnosis. Who was I? What had I become? Where had that old me gone? Would she ever come back? I remember sitting on a sofa in a friend’s living room, talking in a monotone voice, wondering if I would ever laugh again. Spirit and soul had left me, and I was frightened senselessly by the excruciating prospect of more chemotherapy and medication that would set me back, yet again, mentally. Following my second diagnosis, I had a lumpectomy and radiation. On the cold floor in my dark apartment in the late fall and early winter nights leading, I had many haunting dark nights of the soul when COVID came. I left New York and moved to California to reclaim my life, and it was in San Diego that I found beauty, peace, pride and love in the Pink Bubble of the Susan G. Komen 3-Day®.
A friend of mine was walking to honor a close friend of hers who had lost her fight with breast cancer, and I wanted to walk with her in November 2023. I wanted to honor her friend, honor my own fight and raise money to eradicate breast cancer. It seemed like such a terrific way to get into shape, enjoy San Diego, and raise money for a cause close to my heart. Little did I know that the Komen 3-Day would show me I was not alone, and walking would fuel me to fight again. I discovered that I had sisters everywhere around the world and we were all in this together. I had never felt that before and it gives me a reason to live. On March 27, 2024, I received my third diagnosis that months later was confirmed Stage 4 breast cancer that had metastasized to my lungs, colon and chest. I have the most glorious pink sisters along with me for this journey and I am stronger, more satisfied with my life. I was still rebuilding it, but I have come a long way, and I am eager to face and fight cancer again because the rewards are moments of exuberance and community that define the Pink Bubble.
One of my favorite memories from the 2023 San Diego 3-Day® that I’m looking forward to experiencing again in 2024 includes the rally call for survivors and those living with breast cancer to lead the walk on the first morning. It was profound and stands alone as one of the most awesome moments in my life. I was overcome by emotion as we gathered together, feeling as if we were all stars with everybody cheering us on. It was magnificent. It didn’t feel like the start of a walk, it felt like a ceremony celebrating life. Since it was my first 3-Day, I didn’t know survivors would be called out. And out of nowhere, I just burst into tears. I felt the floodgates open. And it was so cathartic. These were my people. I have people. And there they are in all their glory. It was a stunning moment. Indescribable. Time stopped still. I moved along with the crowd of survivors, humbled and in awe at the same time. It was the first time I saw beauty in the cancer world; no pain, no fear, just joy, love and laughs—the Pink Bubble. The Pink Bubble is protected from the outside world fiercely, filled with kindness, support, love and vulnerability.
I also loved seeing all the local policeman on their bikes, decked out in pink gear, radios blasting tunes to keep us moving. I loved seeing the local high school cheer squads, the wild outfits, hearing the poignant stories of why women walked. I loved learning how the organization helped those in need, and I loved the Closing Ceremony. Once again, survivors and those living with breast cancer were called to lead all the walkers, not to start the walk but to finish it. And as we held hands, we walked past friends and family, and I looked every single person I passed in the eyes. And they looked right back at me, directly into my eyes with such love and adoration, it was unbelievable. I couldn’t get enough of it. It was as though all those years of starvation for love and affection were melting away. When the days get hard now, I look forward to experiencing that again. I hope to experience that again.
As everyone cleared the lawn to return home, I jumped on the stage with my survivor rose and danced, which my friend videoed. Although I don’t love how I look in the video, I LOVE that video and I posted it on my Instagram anyway. It is me; the me who walked through fire and got to the other side, the me who is facing the fire again, but with the Pink Bubble behind her. I have never in my life experienced the level of unconditional love, support and recognition that lives inside the Pink Bubble, a 72-hour human experience packed with enough love, spirit, wisdom, humor, audaciousness and support to get the sisterhood through the hardest fight of their life. It is a 72-hour lesson in human compassion, empathy, resilience, and determination. I felt safe, loved, free, happy, and unencumbered. I felt rewarded, challenged, lucky and important. I could be myself and talk to anybody about anything. I was seen and heard. And I looked and listened. Because that is the glory of the Pink Bubble.
I need the 3-Day to survive. It is an essential part of who I have become, and I want to be a part of the end of breast cancer by raising money for the cause. I can’t wait to see everyone again in San Diego.
