Sculpting Strength: A Teen’s Tribute to Breast Cancer and the 3-Day

Sidh J. is a member of the Susan G. Komen 3-Day Youth Corps.

At just 17, Sidh J. found a unique way to honor the breast cancer community that has been a meaningful part of his life through his experience growing up around the Susan G. Komen 3-Day®: a ceramic sculpture that features a woman’s body, a heart, flowers and a pink ribbon.

“The flowers represent a sort of regrowth and renewal that survivors may feel after everything they have been through,” Sidh explained. “And the ribbon represents the fight people have had against breast cancer. The arms holding the heart is to show that love continues even when someone is no longer here.”

Family Ties to Breast Cancer

The inspiration behind Sidh’s artwork is deeply personal.

From a young age, breast cancer was something he knew about. His grandmother was diagnosed at 39 and died from the disease before Sidh was born. She was just 42.

“My family has always talked about my grandmother,” Sidh said. “She was really strong while she was facing breast cancer, so I knew a lot about it.”

In 2012, Sidh’s mom began participating in the 3-Day, walking 60 miles in memory of her mother. Since then, the 3-Day has played an important role in Sidh’s life. He attended 3-Day events in Philadelphia and New England when his mom walked, and his older sister participated in the Youth Corps. Inspired by those experiences, Sidh joined the 2023 New England 3-Day Youth Corps and continued volunteering in 2024. 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.

Sidh J. speaking about his family ties to breast cancer at the Susan G. Komen New England 3-Day.

“It felt great to finally be able to make my contribution to the fight against breast cancer,” Sidh said. “I have really appreciated meeting so many people and hearing their stories over the last two years on the Youth Corps.”

Art Inspired by Breast Cancer

Sidh, who is interested in engineering and material science, took his first pottery class in sixth grade. Over time, it became his creative outlet.

“Fundamentally, pottery is kind of material science. The clay that I use, the paints I use to cover it—they all change and determine the final form of the piece,” Sidh explained. “It has been a great way for me to express my feelings.”

Last October during Breast Cancer Awareness Month, Sidh decided to combine two important parts of his life: his passion for pottery and his connection to the 3-Day. The result was his sculpture titled “In Memory Of …” inspired by his grandmother and the many stories of strength he has encountered through the 3-Day.

Sidh J.'s sculpture designed for breast cancer awareness.

“When I was making this piece, I was constantly thinking about the Remembrance Tent and the people who had breast cancer and are no longer with us,” Sidh said. “My piece is to show they are always in our hearts and also to honor those who survived and continue to inspire others.”

Sidh’s sculpture was selected to be exhibited later this month at the 2026 National K-12 Juried Ceramic Exhibition in Michigan, where it will be entered into competition and eligible for awards and scholarships.

Sidh is currently a high school junior in Northern Virginia. He hopes to stay connected to the 3-Day and plans to return in the future as a walker.

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.

Friendship, Survivorship and the 3-Day

Lesleigh & Jamie at the San Diego 3-Day camping in their pink tent.

When Lesleigh H. signed up for the Susan G. Komen San Diego 3-Day® in 2009, she never expected it would lead to a lasting friendship. Looking for training partners, she reached out to fellow walkers in her area and that’s when she met Jamie R.

“Jamie showed up. Some other people showed up, too,” Lesleigh recalled. “But Jamie and I walked the same pace, we both have long legs, we lived in the same neighborhood. We just hit it off.”

That first training walk sparked more than just preparation for the 60-mile 3-Day. It marked the beginning of a friendship that would help carry them through some of the hardest moments of their lives.

Lesleigh and Jamie met at a training walk in 2009 for the Susan G. Komen San Deiego 3-Day.

Lesleigh and Jamie walked together in the 2009 and 2011 San Diego 3-Days, bonding over shared stories, laughter and a mutual drive to support breast cancer awareness and research. But as life got busy, they took a break from the 3-Day, never imagining that one day they’d return, not just as walkers but as having experienced breast cancer up close and personal.

A Shocking Diagnosis

In 2017, Lesleigh was diagnosed with triple-negative breast cancer after discovering a painful lump in her breast.

“It’s like the ground disappears from underneath you. It’s shocking,” Lesleigh said. “When the doctor told me it was just going to be a bump in the road and I wasn’t going to die, I cried because I was so thankful.”

Lesleigh underwent a lumpectomy, chemotherapy and radiation therapy. In 2019, she returned to the 3-Day, this time walking with Jamie by her side, in her honor.

Lesleigh and Jamie at the halfway point of the Susan G. Komen San Diego 3-Day.

But then, in 2022, Jamie received her own diagnosis.

“Because of COVID, I put off my mammogram for a year,” Jamie explained. “They found a lump that was the size of a Tic Tac, so it was very small. I was very fortunate.”

Jamie’s treatment included a lumpectomy, radiation therapy and ongoing estrogen blockers to treat her hormone receptor-positive, HER2-negative invasive ductal carcinoma.

Return to the 3-Day

This November, Lesleigh and Jamie are returning to the San Diego 3-Day once again. This time, with even deeper meaning.

“Lesleigh is turning 60, it’s my third year of survivorship,” Jamie said. “So, we’re walking 60 miles for her 60 years and three days for my three years.”

Their bond has only grown stronger over time, not just through their breast cancer journeys, but through the unwavering support they’ve given each other.

“She lifts me up. She challenges me and she shows me the way, not just the fight for cancer but for other things, too,” Lesleigh said, fighting back tears. “She’s just the best person ever.”

More Than a Walk

Lesleigh and Jamie walking near the beach at the Susan G. Komen San Diego 3-Day.

For both Lesleigh and Jamie, the 3-Day is about so much more than walking.

“It’s challenging, but also so energetic and special,” Lesleigh said. “The Pink Bubble is like a bubble of joy, beauty and camaraderie. It just energizes you. The walking is hard, but the love and support around you keep you going.”

Outside of training or walking in the 3-Day, Jamie and Lesleigh have shared other special memories together including Bunco nights, voter outreach events and birthday parties.

“When Lesleigh and I were diagnosed, I was upset,” Jamie admitted. “But I realized this is why we’ve been doing the 3-Day all along. This is what we’ve been training for. I firmly believe that what we’ve helped raise over the years has helped us become survivors.”

Lesleigh and Jamie crossing the finish line at the Susan G. Komen San Diego 3-Day.