Tag Archives: breast cancer walk

San Diego Crew Impact Award Winner: Lynn C.

Meet Lynn C., our 2024 San Diego 3-Day Crew Impact Award Winner!  

Since her first Susan G. Komen 3-Day® 17 years ago, Barbara has participated 28 times and has raised a lifetime total of over $70,000. For years she has served as Sweep and Shuttle Captain in Washington D.C., New England, Philadelphia, and San Diego, bringing her humor, pink hair and Boston accent wherever she goes! 

“I first met Lynn 10 years ago when I was co-captain for the Philadelphia sweep team in 2014. She had that spunky attitude and was our go-to van during that event and ever since. I remember riding in a SAG [support and gear] bus with her and within five minutes she had both Mary and me laughing so hard we could hardly speak. She was a staple member of that Philly Sweep Team until they moved the event to New England. She even once tried her hand at being the captain, which of course she rocked, but her heart was to be with the walkers. Lynn has been doing two events a year since I’ve known her, one close to her home base, and the other she flies all the way across the country to go to, in San Diego. She certainly is one of the most valued members of the Sweep Team in both cities. She gives 100% to the team, shows up early to do special ops, stays out late to assist the last of the walkers into camp, drives through pouring rain, and gets lost in Sea World once in a while. To say she gives tired walkers a ride to the next pit stop is an understatement. What she really does is give them encouragement, a joke or two, an ear to hear their story and a lot of Pink Bubble love.” —Carolyn H.  

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

In 2006, my?sister-in-law was diagnosed with breast cancer. I wanted to do something big to help her and I saw the commercial for the New England 3-Day®. I signed up to do the 2007 event by myself even though my friends and family thought I was crazy. I believed in my heart it was a one and done event, but the love, support, stories and commitment to finding the cures was contagious. I wanted to make more friends, learn more about how I could help, and knew before the walk started on that early Friday morning, I was in it for life. I had been engulfed by the Pink Bubble and I didn’t want to leave. 

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

I would meet more and more people going through treatment each year. I would look forward to seeing these friends year after year and sometimes those friends did not make it back for any more walks because of this disease. This would energize me to raise more money to find the cures. The longer I am involved, the more people I know have been diagnosed with breast cancer. This disease has infiltrated my family three times in the past few years. Sadly, it is my daughter’s generation on both sides of our family that have been affected. We lost one young, beautiful cousin who left a young family, and we now have two others who are fighting and thriving and beating this disease. How can I stop now? We are so close to the cures. I believe in my heart I will see the cures in my lifetime. 

What is your favorite aspect of crewing the 3-Day?   

I love supporting the walkers. Crewing is hard, days are long, sleep is fleeting, but knowing the walkers depend upon us to keep them fed, healthy and safe keeps me energized. Crew has one single goal each day; keep the walkers safe, keep them in a forward moving motion daily and get them safely to closing. 

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

It is hard, it is fun, and they could not walk without our help. We are the fuel that keeps the walk moving each day. We are like the elves behind the scenes making it all look easy.  

What’s a fun fact about you?  

For the next three years, my favorite sports team is the University of Vermont Women’s Hockey —#ILOVEMYHOCKEYPLAYER. I have had people request a translator when they hear me talking but I only speak one language, it’s called “The Boston Accent.” Yes, I have pahked my cah in Hahvahd Yahd to watch TB12 play football with Best Buddies! 

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

To be grateful for all my blessings and to give back and pay it forward. 

November Pink Bubble Story of the Month: Lauren M.

“My mom was more than her diagnosis; she was a beacon of strength, love, and compassion to everyone who knew her.  

“At just 34 years old, she discovered a small lump during a self-examination and was diagnosed with breast cancer. Despite the fear and uncertainty, she faced her mastectomy and six months of chemotherapy with courage, all while caring for my 6-year-old sister and me, a 2½-year-old, and supporting my dad. Her strength and resilience saw her through, and after treatment, she was declared cancer-free and entered remission. 

“True to her giving nature, once she regained her strength, my mom began volunteering at Victory in the Valley in Wichita, Kansas, helping other women navigate their own battles with breast cancer. However, in her fourth year of remission, the devastating news came: her cancer had returned. 

“For five more years, my mom faced this relentless disease with grace, undergoing six different treatment protocols. She lost her hair and nails, but never her spirit. Even as a nurse, fully aware of the uphill battle she faced, she focused on teaching my sister and me about life, ensuring that we felt as normal and loved as possible despite her struggle. 

“On November 2, 2000, at just 44 years old, my mom passed away. While she is no longer with us physically, her legacy of strength, kindness, and unwavering love lives on through my sister and me. We strive every day to carry forward the values she instilled in us, honoring the extraordinary woman who taught us what it means to live fully, love deeply, and persevere through even the most difficult challenges.”  

“My friend, Sonia, is a survivor. She asked me to join her in this experience and I couldn’t be more grateful to have walked alongside her and our incredible team, STEPS. Being surrounded by such inspirational people—men and women who have given years of their lives to this cause—was deeply moving. Walking alongside people who were on their 36th walk or were tackling all four events this year was remarkable. It left me feeling like I’ll never be able to let a year go by without being involved in some way. Whether walking, cheering, or volunteering, I know I want to be part of this incredible community. Seeing the strength and resilience of the survivors and hearing their stories made a profound impact on my heart. Their courage is something I’ll carry with me always.” 

—Lauren M., first-time 3-Dayer 

Dallas/Fort Worth Milestone Award Winner: Sheryl C.

Meet Sheryl C., our 2024 Dallas/Fort Worth 3-Day Milestone Award Winner!    

Since her first 3-Day 15 years ago, Sheryl has walked 34 times and has raised more than $191,000. Not only that, but the team that she captains with Dana Bilbray, STEPS, was this year’s top fundraising team on the New England and Dallas/Fort Worth 3-Days. Team STEPS is closing in on $2 million dollars raised since their inception in 2009, with their team’s lifetime fundraising history just shy of $1.9 million STEPS has no off-season; they train and fundraise all year round and are instrumental in ensuring the success of the Susan G. Komen Dallas/Fort Worth 3-Day! 

“My name is Sharon F., Sheryl’s twin sister, and I wanted to share some things about her from my perspective. Sheryl is a natural leader—leading by example, encouraging, challenging, removing barriers and inspiring others.” 

What was your sister’s inspiration to do her first Susan G. Komen 3-Day®? 

Her inspiration is both professional and personal. Professionally she is a Family Medicine physician and reminds patients that only about 15% of women have a family history of breast cancer, so it is critical for the 85% without a family history of breast cancer to ALSO get regular mammograms. It’s also personal, since breast cancer was diagnosed in our maternal aunt in her thirties, in our paternal aunt in her sixties and in several of our cousins on both sides. Sheryl inspires us all to be better versions of ourselves and to help those around us. 

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

Sheryl has been on the front lines as a doctor for over 30 years. While the mission of Susan G. Komen® is to help eradicate breast cancer, she sees it as much more. The Komen 3-Day is an opportunity for her to impact the overall health and well-being of others. She helps teammates accomplish goals they did not think they could obtain, taking each step with them, including helping them with hypertension, diabetes, heart disease, weight loss, self-confidence, and more. Sheryl often kicks off the weekly training walks with a brief medical education topic then puts purpose to the perspiration by asking who we are walking for that day. We walk for friends, family and coworkers who are newly tossed into the whirlwind of a cancer diagnosis and for all those who have been affected by breast cancer, some surviving and some not. There are too many stories and too many affected by breast cancer. By returning year after year, Sheryl continues the support, increases awareness, educates, motivates, and reaches the next generation so that perhaps one day we won’t have to walk anymore. 

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

Fundraising is challenging, but since team STEPS started in 2009, every person on our team who has wanted to walk in the 3-Day has been able to do so. Sheryl issues various challenges to the team then personally donates to anyone who meets the challenge — like donating to teammates if they get a mammogram; brilliant! I updated my mammogram one year because of her. Thanks, Sis! Sheryl has either donated, matched or encouraged others to collectively raise $1.8 million dollars on team STEPS. She is so passionate about making a difference in those affected by breast cancer that people often approach her to ask if they can donate. 

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

  1. My sister would tell you to join a team, and, of course, Sheryl would want you to join her team STEPS!  
  1. She would encourage you to go to a training walk, reminding you that you don’t have to be an athlete. Not everyone has to walk every step, but by showing up you take more steps than those who didn’t. 
  1. She would say never underestimate the power of giving away a free T-shirt (or anything else)! She will quite often give something to someone who donated, or someone recently diagnosed with breast cancer to let them know she cares. It starts a conversation, makes a connection, and tells a story. It says, “I’m part of something that makes a difference. Join me.” Sheryl has also bought things to give away to people who show up for training walks — like a buff to help with heat exhaustion or like a device that will break a car window if needed in an emergency and she may include some sort of short health or safety talk to go with it — it’s powerful! She has used it over and over. 

What’s a fun fact about her? 

Sheryl is a word nerd. She is a cutthroat Words With Friends player and studies word lists. Also, one year Sheryl made a New Year’s resolution to do something in support of breast cancer every day of the year and she did it, 365 days in a row! 

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

To bring up the next generation of walkers, crew, scientists, researchers and keen minds. Sheryl loves the 3-Day motto, “We lay down our footsteps for this generation and the next.” 

Recently, Sheryl had a competition to design a new 3-Day buff/gaiter. All ages entered, but the winners were children ages four, six and eight. Their artwork is featured on the buff with this saying “Taking STEPS big and small.” Who knows what impact that will have on these children, what impact cancer will have on them, and what impact they will have on cancer in the future? 

Sheryl knows that in the fight against breast cancer, all our steps are important. She continues to learn from those who started before her, challenges and inspires those around her, and makes sure that she is lifting the next generation. She knows that each small step adds up to something bigger and pinker than any one person acting alone.