Tag Archives: donors

Make a Difference in Breast Cancer Research

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Today is National Trivia Day, and we are taking this opportunity to share important and impactful facts from the 3-Day and our Susan G. Komen family at large. You can use these facts in your own 3-Day trivia game, as part of your fundraising letters, or as encouragement for you and your team this year. We have come so far since 2003, and every step you have taken has made a difference.

You can continue to make a difference in 2018, too! Register now, and get $20 off your registration through February 5th!

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One amazing fact is that in the last 12 years, Komen has been able to put 80 cents of every dollar directly into research, community health programs, as well as education and advocacy programs. This money supports the mission to save lives by meeting the most critical needs in our communities and investing in breakthrough research.

This means that every donation makes a huge impact. Some stats to know and share:

  • $25 could buy research supplies so scientists can work toward finding the cures
  • $30 could provide an hour of patient navigation services for someone with breast cancer
  • $135 could provide one screening mammogram for someone in need

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The sixty miles you walk also make a huge difference! Since 2003, the 3-Day has:

  • Raised more than $820 million in total
  • Helped support more than 2,500 research projects & 460 clinical trials and counting
  • Sent $650 million in funds raised directly to breast cancer research

In addition, Komen’s network of Affiliates fund nearly 1,000 community organizations providing education, screening, patient navigation and treatment assistance to those facing breast cancer each year. You might have seen some of these local Affiliates at cheering stations on 3-Days this year. If you see them in 2018, give them a hug and a high five to thank them for all the amazing hard work they do!

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Because of the hard work that Komen, the 3-Day and all our Affiliates do, there has been a 38 percent decline in breast cancer mortality (deaths) in the U.S. between 1989-2014.

This means that there are more and more survivors for us to honor each year at the 3-Day. In fact, there are more than 3.1 million breast cancer survivors in the U.S.

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Each of these facts are important, and all of them work towards Komen’s Bold Goal of reducing the current number of breast cancer deaths by 50% in the U.S. by 2026.

To learn even more, visit our website for infographics, personal stories and more!

Ways to Say Thank You to Your 3-Day Donors

We have reached the end of the 2014 Susan G. Komen 3-Day® season, and it’s a great time for all of you who raised money for the Komen 3-Day this year to give some special thanks to the donors who supported you. Here are a few simple ways to say thank you to your 3-Day® donors:

Thank You Note – You’re probably saying, “Well, duh!” But throughout my years as a 3-Day coach, I was always surprised when I’d hear that some participants didn’t send thank you notes to their donors. Even if you had thanked them in person or in some other way, a hand-written note of thanks is a small gesture that goes a very long way.

Acknowledge their connection – When you thank your donors, take a minute to acknowledge their reason for donating. If they were supporting you in memory of someone, remember that person with them. Honor the survivors in their lives. If they donated to you just because you’re awesome and they wanted to support you, tell them they’re awesome too!IMG_6556

Tell Them How They Helped – This graphic chart shows the direct impact that donations to Susan G. Komen® (through events like the 3-Day) have on the fight to end breast cancer. Click to print:susan g. komen impact priorities challenges 2014

Don’t Ask For More…Yet – Many 3-Dayers are already registered for a 2015 3-Day, and may be tempted to use their thank you notes to ask for donations toward the next walk. Hold off on that for now. Now is the time to shine some light on the amazing contributions your donors made to you and to Komen already. It will leave them feeling warm and appreciated, and if you’re coming back to the 3-Day next year (and we hope you are!), when you are ready to make your ask for new donations, your donors will remember how gracious you were and show their generosity again.

Keep It Simple – If you want to write a detailed thank you note to a donor who had a particularly strong impact on your 3-Day experience, that’s fine, but for the most part, it’s okay to keep your thank yous simple and heartfelt. I found a great post called “22 Delightful Ways to Say Thank You”, which has some fun and concise ways to express your thankfulness.

Share the Love on Social Media – Print this sign, personalize it with a message or your donors’ names, and take a picture of yourself holding it up. thank youThen post it on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram (wherever your friends are) and tag your donors. They will appreciate the acknowledgement.

Record a Video Message – Thank you notes are timeless and always an effective way to convey your gratitude, but if you’re of a more technological and visual bent, you can send a video thank you message to your donors (or post it on social media and tag them in it). You should still follow the other suggestions above (keep it simple, acknowledge connections), but a video message could be a fun and dynamic way to express your appreciation to your donors.

 

However you decide to thank you donors, make it from the heart. They are the real heroes of the 3-Day, and they can never be thanked enough for their part in moving us toward our goal of a world without breast cancer.