How to Use Social Media to Fundraise for the Susan G. Komen 3-Day

Fundraising for breast cancer through social media is an incredibly powerful method. With millions of people connecting daily on platforms like Facebook and Instagram, you can tap into these networks to raise awareness, inspire support, and meet (and hopefully exceed!) your fundraising goals. Here’s how to get started and make the most of social media’s potential.

The Importance of Building Community Through Social Media

Beyond the technical aspects of setting up a fundraiser, social media is an invaluable tool for building a supportive and engaged community around your cause. Here’s how it helps:

Create a Sense of Belonging

Social media platforms allow you to connect with people who care about breast cancer awareness, whether they’re survivors, current patients, or supporters. By sharing your story, updates, and educational content, you create a sense of shared purpose that motivates people to act. When followers see others contributing, they feel a part of something bigger, which encourages more involvement.

Offer Real-Time Updates

Platforms like Instagram and Facebook allow for instant updates, so you can share real-time progress on your fundraising efforts. People feel more connected when they can see immediate impacts, whether it’s reaching a new milestone or hearing from someone directly impacted by the cause.

Amplify Your Reach

Social media allows your message to spread far beyond your immediate network. When someone donates or shares your post, their friends and followers see it too, creating a ripple effect. This amplification is invaluable, especially when working toward a fundraising goal.

Foster Meaningful Engagement

Through comments, messages, and shares, you can interact with your audience, answer questions, and deepen the relationship between your cause and your supporters. This dialogue not only helps raise funds but also builds long-term relationships that continue beyond the current campaign.

The Technical Side: How to Set Up Fundraisers on Social Media

Social media platforms make it easier than ever to set up and manage fundraisers. Here’s a guide to using Facebook for your breast cancer fundraising efforts:

Facebook Fundraisers

Facebook has built-in fundraising tools that allow you to directly raise money for your chosen cause. Here’s how to set one up:

Step 1: Log in at The3Day.org to go to your Participant Center.

Step 2: Look for the big blue box that says “Raise Money Directly on Facebook” and click the link to edit your fundraiser content. As default, your Facebook fundraiser will have the same content as your personal 3-Day fundraising page, but you can customize it during this step.

Step 3: Click “Save and Connect Fundraiser to Facebook.”

Read our Facebook Fundraiser FAQ here.

Instagram Fundraisers

Though Instagram has a direct donation feature, this WILL NOT link to your 3-Day fundraising account. Instead, add your personal 3-Day fundraising link to your Instagram bio and share it via stories.

Content Strategies

Content is the heart of your social media fundraising efforts. Whether it’s a compelling story, an eye-catching image, or an engaging video, what you share can inspire people to act. Authentic, well-crafted content helps build trust and foster emotional connections with your audience. Consider sharing personal experiences, facts about breast cancer, and updates on your progress to keep your supporters engaged. Use a mix of formats like posts, videos, Instagram Stories, and Reels to create dynamic content that raises awareness and encourages donations. The more authentic and creative your content, the better it will resonate with your audience and motivate them to contribute.

Instagram Stories and Reels are quick, engaging ways to share your message and reach a wider audience.

Stories

Post frequent updates to show the progress of your fundraiser and add fun elements like polls, questions, or countdowns. You can even directly link your fundraising page on your stories through the features button on the top of the page.

Reels

Create short, inspiring videos explaining why breast cancer fundraising is important. These can feature personal testimonials, stats about breast cancer, or behind-the-scenes content of you organizing the fundraiser.

Creative Ideas for Social Media Fundraising

To make your social media breast cancer fundraiser stand out, it’s important to think creatively. Here are some ideas to help engage your followers and encourage donations:

Personal Storytelling

Nothing resonates more than personal stories. Whether you’re a survivor, a friend, or a family member, sharing your personal connection to breast cancer can deeply move others to donate. Use captions, videos, or Instagram Live sessions to tell your story and explain why fundraising for breast cancer is important to you.

Host a Live Fundraising Event

Leverage Facebook Live or Instagram Live to host a real-time event. This could be a virtual workout class, a cooking tutorial, or a Q&A with a breast cancer survivor or medical professional. During the event, remind viewers to donate using a link to your personal page and encourage them to share it with others.

Create a Challenge

Social media thrives on challenges! Create a breast cancer awareness challenge, like posting a pink-themed photo or doing 30 push-ups a day for a week and ask participants to donate or share the challenge to raise awareness. Use hashtags like #BreastCancerChallenge or #PinkChallenge to unify posts and grow momentum.

Launch a “Tag and Donate” Campaign

Encourage your followers to donate and tag three friends to do the same. This creates a fun, interactive chain effect that can multiply your reach and fundraising efforts.

Incorporate Milestones

Set fundraising milestones and offer rewards or incentives when they’re met. For example, promise to cook meals for a homeless shelter, dye your hair pink, or walk a certain number of miles if you hit a fundraising target. Sharing this on social media can motivate people to contribute just to see you reach that goal.

Thank Your Donors Publicly
Post regular updates thanking and tagging your donors. Everyone appreciates a thank you, and the public recognition will inspire the friends and followers who have not given you a donation yet to give, so they can get that recognition, too!

Social media fundraising is an effective way to support breast cancer awareness and raise funds for research and patient care. By understanding the technical aspects of setting up fundraisers, fostering a sense of community, and using creative ideas to engage your audience, you can leverage the power of social media to make a meaningful impact in the fight against breast cancer.

Get started today and inspire others to join the cause by sharing your story, connecting with your network, and spreading hope and support.

San Diego Milestone Award Winner: Stephen Y.

Meet Stephen Y., our 2024 San Diego 3-Day Milestone Award Winner!

Over the past 13 years, Stephen has participated in 37 Susan G. Komen 3-Day® events, raising a lifetime total of more than $152,000 and promises to walk until we find the cures. Following his wife Karen’s breast cancer diagnosis in 2005, he began participating in the Komen 3-Day as a crew member while she walked. As her disease progressed and Karen was unable to walk, Stephen stepped into her shoes, vowing to his wife that he would never miss an event.

“Our cousin Stephen is a remarkable individual, embodying strength and resilience in the face of profound loss. He has participated in the 3-Day® since 2011 to raise funds for cancer research. He always says that he doesn’t want anyone else to suffer the pain and grief that his family did. Stephen is driven by the memory of his beloved wife, Karen, who bravely battled breast cancer. With each step, he carries her spirit, honoring her legacy and raising awareness for a cause that is deeply personal to him.

His passion is palpable, always seen with a determined smile and a heart full of purpose as he reaches out to encourage others. He connects with fellow participants, sharing stories of love and loss, creating a supportive community. Through fundraising efforts and outreach, he spreads hope and inspires others to join the fight against cancer. His journey is not just about walking; it’s a heartfelt tribute to the love he and Karen shared along with their three children. It is a testament to his commitment to make a difference in the lives of those affected by cancer. He is a beacon of hope, reminding everyone around him of the power of love and perseverance.” —Alyse, David, Shayna, Marc, Ethan, Bella & Haley

What was your inspiration to do your first Susan G. Komen 3-Day?

My wife started walking when she got cancer the first time. When she got cancer the second time and could not walk, I said, “I’ll do your walk to keep the continuity going.” So that was my first walk in 2011 to keep her legacy alive while she was back in treatment, going through chemo.

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

There are multiple reasons in addition to my wife, but, certainly, the Pink Bubble is part of what brings me back. What my family went through and lives on a day-to-day basis is really horrible, and I really feel like nobody else should have to go through this. I have the power to do something about it, or I have the power to say somebody should do something about it. So instead of saying somebody should do something about it, I get out and do what I can.

Nobody should live with this disease. It’s really horrible. And, also, what if my daughter were to get breast cancer and I wasn’t doing something about it? I can’t say I’m doing everything, because everything’s too strong of a word, but I feel like I’m doing my share, and if everybody does their share, I think we’ll get where we need to go.

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

Ask everybody in sight. I keep little cards in my wallet because you never know who you’ll run into. You hand them a card, and they might or might not make a donation. It turns into a conversation, and I turn it around and say, hey, I’m doing this. Maybe you’d like to join me on a walk or make a donation. When you get a donation, great, when you don’t, oh, well. But, even if I don’t get a donation, I’ve done something to increase awareness.

I also sell See’s Candy and I practically fund one walk with them, so selling some kind of a product is helpful. Match partners are really helpful, and I also have some very generous donors.

What is the best advice you would give to anyone walking the 3-Day?

You have to get past your first walk to really enjoy it, because the first time out, you’re like, “What did I get myself into?” But you need to enjoy the people you’re with. It’s about sharing stories; it’s about recognizing we’re all there for a similar reason or cause. We’re all in this fight together so it’s important to listen to what everybody else has to say.

Make sure you train. I do way better when I train, and I wear sandals. It’s important to find what’s right for you. You have to walk your own walk; don’t try to walk somebody else’s walk. If you try to walk somebody else’s walk for 60 miles, you’ll be hurting.

It’s a wonderful thing when you happen to find somebody you’re very compatible with, walking speed, style, conversationally and you guys could just go on for hours. That’s a wonderful thing that happens sometimes, but you just got to do your own walk. You got to breathe.

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

I learned that we’re not all alone out there. When you or someone you love gets cancer, you feel like you’re the only one. When disaster strikes, you always feel like you’re the only person this has ever happened to. But at the 3-Day you learn that you’re not really so alone.

What’s a fun fact about you?

When Karen and I dated I mailed her a card every single day. It didn’t start in the very beginning, but at some given point in the relationship, we lived an hour plus apart by car, so I used to just go to the store and buy a stack of thinking of you cards or something to that effect. Because the post office is closed one day a week, she might have got two some days, none some days, but the goal was for her to get one card a day. I have a box somewhere in my house of all those cards. Every day, now, I wear a bracelet that holds Karen’s ashes and a necklace that contains a piece of jewelry I bought her in the early stages of dating. The piece that belonged to her says “It’s Magic” and, when I gave it to her, I had no idea that her late father was an amateur magician, so it was extra special to her.

Also, I love to go water skiing. My family and I go to the lake one week a year and use the boat; I just think about how many smiles we get out of that one week. I also grew up sailing and I taught woodshop for years.

“From my perspective as Stephen’s coach for many years, many of us can only hope to be loved and cherished as much as Stephen loves and cherishes Karen.” —Coach Staci

Explore the Dallas/Fort Worth Route Before the 3-Day

The 2024 3-Day will take you on an unforgettable journey through Dallas/Fort Worth’s most iconic landmarks and lesser-known gems. Jump into those cowboy boots and prepare to immerse yourself in the vibrant culture and captivating sights of the Lone Star State!

Day 1

After an inspiring Opening Ceremony at the Hyatt Regency Dallas you’ll head out on the route, which takes you past the Giant Eyeball, an unexpected and quirky art installation that is sure to leave you amazed. This incredible work of art will stare back at you as you make your way through the city! Measuring about 30-feet in height, the massive structure of fiberglass and stainless steel embodies the city’s eclectic art scene.

Venture toward the T. Boone Pickens Cancer Center and take a glimpse into the groundbreaking medical advancements achieved at this prominent cancer treatment and research facility. You’ll also be greeted by the Baylor University Medical Center where breast cancer detection, treatment and clinical trials occur each day. Next, we’ll bring the Pink Bubble over a few miles to the Swiss Avenue Historic District, a residential neighborhood in East Dallas. Its eclectic mix of homes, spanning a 2.5-mile stretch, represents virtually every popular residential design style of the day, including Mediterranean, Spanish, Spanish Revival, Georgian, Mission, Prairie, Craftsman, Neoclassical, Italian Renaissance, Tudor and Colonial Revival. Originally ideated by Robert S. Munger in the late 19^th century, this area has evolved from one man’s unique experiment in planned urban development to a living testament to America’s architectural diversity. Snap a photo in front of The Langford and Aldredge Houses, which are both significant homes known for their architectural beauty and rich historical value. Built in 1930 and 1917, these are beloved and well-preserved pieces of architecture boasting Colonial Revival and Georgian Revival styles.

With cheering stations to keep you motivated, spend a few miles walking along White Rock Lake, a popular urban park and reservoir located northeast of downtown Dallas. Witness The Pump Station, originally built in the 20^th century, that has since been decommissioned as a functioning water facility and now stands proudly as a preserved structure that is part of the scenic attractions around the lake. Snap a photo in front of the man-made White Rock Lake waterfall and enjoy the peaceful sound of flowing water before passing through the Willis C. Winters Park Trailhead, a well-known access point of the lake area.

After connecting with nature surrounding the lake and nearby areas such as the Historic Deep Ellum District, you’ll return to Downtown Dallas where 49 bronze longhorn steers and three cowboys sit on horseback in a 4.2-acre green space known as the beautiful Cattle Drive Sculptures. Created by artist Robert Summers, these sculptures celebrate the cattle drives that were crucial to the city’s economic history in the 19^th century. Before returning to camp, you’ll pass by one more symbolic sculpture called The Pegasus, which has been part of the city’s skyline for nearly 100 years. Return to camp at the Hyatt Regency Dallas for an exciting Celebration of Champions and rest those feet for Day 2!

Day 2

On the second day, a bus ride will take you into Fort Worth to dive into the city’s western heritage and cowboy culture. Established as an army outpost in the mid-19th century, this metropolis boasts a wealth of history and architecture at every corner. Shortly after starting out on the route, you’ll pass by the UT Southwestern Harold C. Simmons Comprehensive Cancer Center at Moncrief Cancer Institute where Isaac Chan, M.D., Ph.D. accompanied by graduate student Isabella Terrazas, was awarded the 2024-2025 Susan G. Komen ASPIRE Grant to promote inclusion in research. They are investigating the role of a type of immune cells called natural killer cells during immunotherapy treatment. Furthering our understanding of natural killer cells may pave the way for developing new breast cancer immunotherapies that target natural killer cells.

Continue by walking through the Fort Worth Water Gardens, a stunning urban oasis with serene pools and cascading waterfalls. Feeling refreshed? Head to Sundance Square, a vibrant entertainment district buzzing with restaurants, shops, and cultural events for visitors and locals alike. For a taste of the Wild West, venture toward the National Cowgirl Museum & Hall of Fame where the spirit of the cowgirl mirrors that of the Pink Bubble. This renowned museum is dedicated to honoring and celebrating the achievements of women who have demonstrated exceptional courage, resilience, and trailblazing spirit. Continue your journey through Fort Worth feeling enriched and empowered by the courage of these pioneer women. Mosey on over to the Cultural District, where you’ll encounter a dazzling display of urban artistry like the playful Raining Tacos Mural which will undoubtedly add a splash of color to your day.

Pass through Veteran’s Memorial Park, established in 1923 to honor U.S. military veterans, before strolling past Texas Christian University. This campus not only has a nationally recognized football team but a strong school spirit and a supportive community that is perfect for the 3-Day! Finally, wrap up Day 2 in the Fairmount-Southside Historic District where you’ll see the M.A. Benton House, one of the oldest homes in Fort Worth. Built in 1898, this Victorian-style cottage embodies southern values as it remains well-preserved and proudly owned by descendants of the Benton family. From here, a bus will take you back to our 3-Day camp at the Hyatt Regency Dallas for a touching Honor Ceremony before resting up for the last leg of the 3-Day.

Day 3

Begin your final day by leaving our hotel campsite for Dealey Plaza, designated a National Historic Landmark in 1993 as part of the Dealey Plaza Historic District. Known as the “birthplace of Dallas,” this unassuming brick-paved square has borne witness to many pivotal moments in Dallas and American history. As you walk by, you may notice an “X” painted on Elm Street denoting where John F. Kennedy was assassinated in 1963, a permanent memorial to the 35^th President. As you honor the lost president, continue toward the House of Blues, a well-known live music venue and restaurant located in the heart of downtown. Part of the larger House of Blues chain, which is recognized for hosting a variety of music genres, with a focus on blues, rock, and soul, this location also incorporates elements of Southern culture and cuisine. With music running through your veins, continue toward Turtle Creek Park, home of the Kalita Humphreys Theater, a historically preserved theater that has been hosting performances since its opening in 1959.

Don’t miss the vibrant Oak Lawn Rainbow Road, home to the Pay It No Mind mural, a powerful tribute to the LGBTQ+ community. In true Pink Bubble spirit, the message of inclusivity and acceptance radiates from this colorful art installation. Walk with pride as you continue toward Southern Methodist University where you’ll walk past Gerald J. Ford Stadium and Turpin Stadium, home of the Mustangs. With a hearty helping of Texas sports culture, you’ll soon approach Cole Park which offers a serene green space perfect for relaxation and fresh air. Make your way toward the Dallas Museum of Art before you wrap up your day in the heart of downtown Dallas at the AT&T Discovery District. Covering several blocks near the AT&T headquarters, the company created this immersive entertainment and retail destination to showcase their latest technology, products, and services. Take out that smartphone and capture a few photos before making your way to the Finish Line Festival.

One of the most recognizable landmarks in the city, Reunion Tower, will be the backdrop for our Closing Ceremony. “The Ball,” as it is affectionately known by locals, has been a staple of the Dallas skyline since 1978. With 259 exterior LED lights, there is truly no better location for you to shine after completing the Dallas/Fort Worth 3-Day.