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.
“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.”
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.
