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!

Meet Your 2019 Dallas/Fort Worth 3-Day Coaches

The Dallas/Fort Worth 3-Day is this week…can you believe it?! We are so excited to head to the Lone Star State, the home of Susan G. Komen, for an amazing weekend.

No one is more excited than your Dallas/Fort Worth 3-Day team! Your coaches Gayla and Liz, plus your amazing Crew Coordinators Gina and Kiki, as well as Event Planner Eileen have all been counting down the days to this weekend for a whole year. They’re ready to welcome you with open arms!

But, before we officially kick off the weekend, they are here to get you pumped for your 60-mile journey with their favorite spots along the route and why they look forward to this weekend all year. They are truly a team full of love for each other, and for each of their 3-Day participants. That’s because they are all one big family…

“The 3-Day to me is a family, a family bound together by their passion, enthusiasm and drive to make a difference in the fight against breast cancer,” says Coach Gina.

And that includes this coaching team. They have so much love for each other!

Gina says that “Liz and Gayla are not only the faces of the DFW 3-Day, but the heart as well! Their love and passion for this event are incredible. I am constantly in awe of them. Everyone should be sure to give them both a high-five and a hug!”

They love Coach Gina as well, with Coach Liz calling her “the sweetest kindest person I know,” and Gayla saying that Gina “really appreciates the work all of the crew members put forth all season long. I am so honored to have her as a co-worker and friend. It makes my job that much more meaningful.”

The whole team also raves about Coach Kiki, who Liz calls “hilarious and oh so productive,” and Eileen, who has created an amazing 3-Days of route that everyone will be sure to love.

What are some highlights that the coaches especially love?

The Sculpture Garden right after Opening Ceremony
The Cattle Drive bronze statures
Walking through the Roughrider Stadium in Frisco and seeing everyone’s pictures on the big screen in centerfield
The energy and emotion at the Honor Ceremony at camp Saturday night
The brand spankin’ new route on Day 3
Experiencing the new Finish Line Festival at Tostitos Championship Plaza at The Star

Aside from the route itself, there are so many wonderful places in the Dallas/Fort Worth area that you can take advantage of if you arrive early or take a few days to stay after you complete your journey. Gayla and Liz recommend…

The Lone Star State has so much to offer, and our coaches know it’s going to be an amazing few days together.

“Savor the moments, every step, each interaction, all the 3-Day love you feel,” says Gina. “Because as the saying goes, ‘It’s the little moments that make life big.’”

But don’t forget to stop and give your coaches a hug ?. They can’t wait to see you all!

A Note About Saturday:

Due to the recent tornadoes in the North Dallas area, we are making changes to the second half of Saturday’s route and do not have the route cards to share with you just yet. We will give you a route card at the Opening Ceremony with the latest route information and the map of your journey will be updated as soon as possible. Please be flexible with staff, crew and city jurisdictions and understand these changes are being made for the safety of our participants as well as out of respect for the communities where homes, businesses and property have been destroyed.

2019 Philadelphia 3-Day Wrap-Up

Over the weekend, hundreds of walkers, Crew and supporters gathered to celebrate the Susan G. Komen Philadelphia 3-Day. We were so honored to return to the East Coast, especially during Breast Cancer Awareness Month to bring more awareness to our mission, and the whole Philadelphia community came out in support of this goal.

Our weekend began inside the Grand Ballroom at Hilton Philadelphia at Penn’s Landing, where hundreds gathered, ready to take on the fight against breast cancer. The sun rose as our Opening Ceremony kicked off with speeches from our local participants, as well as our Bank of America partners. Then, our local survivors and those living with metastatic breast cancer led our walkers out into the fall morning.

We had perfect, cool fall walking weather for our first day, which began with walks through Penn’s Landing and Rittenhouse Square. Our first pit stop was at the beautiful Penn Park, marking 3.3 miles down already for the weekend.

The Please Touch Museum was a beautiful landscape for pit stop 2, and then we made our way over the Concourse Lake Trail in the afternoon. After a quick stop at the Rodin Museum Grounds, walkers arrived back home at our hotel camp! We enjoyed 3-Day BINGO, the Bank of America massage chairs, and comfy cozy beds to end Day One on a high note.

Day Two dawned bright and cool again, for another gorgeous day of walking. Right off the bat, walkers passed the Liberty Bell, and then at the first pit stop, our Philadelphia 3-Dayers ran the Rocky Steps at the Philadelphia Museum of Art. Arms raised in the fall sunshine, they celebrated the first of many exciting moments during the day.

The celebrating continued at lunch, thanks to our new Halfway Celebration. We danced, took photos, and relaxed after 30 miles well-walked. Mark especially had a ball leading everyone in the 3-Day flash mob.

In the afternoon, we continued our walk throughout downtown Philadelphia, making everyone’s favorite stop at the Philadelphia Zoo. Giraffes, flamingos, zebras, eagles and more all came out to cheer on the Philadelphia 3-Day! Soon after, walkers again arrived home at our host hotel.

On Saturday night, we hosted an emotional Honor Ceremony, recognizing the loved ones we walk for, as well as honoring the last 15 years of the Philadelphia 3-Day. Everyone ended the night with joy and a new purpose. Philly was all ready for Day Three!

Sunday started off beautiful, with a walk down the historic Elfreth’s Alley to start our morning. Walkers loved snapping photos and taking in the history of this famous street! The photo ops continued after the first pit stop, when we went down Cheesesteak Avenue, and everyone had to pick a side: Pat’s or Geno’s. The walkers remain divided on their cheesesteak choice but united in their goal to finish Day Three!

The rain held off until lunch, but even a little liquid sunshine couldn’t stop these amazing walkers! They passed through Rittenhouse Square and the beautiful 30^th Street Station before entering University of Pennsylvania’s campus at the end of their journey.

Our Closing Ceremony was held at Shoemaker Green on the Lawn at Penn for the first time, and despite the rainy weather, it was still a picturesque and wonderful spot to celebrate 60 miles! Walkers crossed the finish line with smiles and hugs all around.

The Closing Ceremony was jam packed with friends and family waiting to celebrate our courageous walkers and crew. Together, we raised $1.7 million toward the fight to end breast cancer. Philadelphia, thank you. We are so honored and grateful for everything you have done for our 3-Day family over the years.