When Lesleigh H. signed up for the Susan G. Komen San Diego 3-Day® in 2009, she never expected it would lead to a lasting friendship. Looking for training partners, she reached out to fellow walkers in her area and that’s when she met Jamie R.
“Jamie showed up. Some other people showed up, too,” Lesleigh recalled. “But Jamie and I walked the same pace, we both have long legs, we lived in the same neighborhood. We just hit it off.”
That first training walk sparked more than just preparation for the 60-mile 3-Day. It marked the beginning of a friendship that would help carry them through some of the hardest moments of their lives.
Lesleigh and Jamie walked together in the 2009 and 2011 San Diego 3-Days, bonding over shared stories, laughter and a mutual drive to support breast cancer awareness and research. But as life got busy, they took a break from the 3-Day, never imagining that one day they’d return, not just as walkers but as having experienced breast cancer up close and personal.
A Shocking Diagnosis
In 2017, Lesleigh was diagnosed with triple-negative breast cancer after discovering a painful lump in her breast.
“It’s like the ground disappears from underneath you. It’s shocking,” Lesleigh said. “When the doctor told me it was just going to be a bump in the road and I wasn’t going to die, I cried because I was so thankful.”
Lesleigh underwent a lumpectomy, chemotherapy and radiation therapy. In 2019, she returned to the 3-Day, this time walking with Jamie by her side, in her honor.
But then, in 2022, Jamie received her own diagnosis.
“Because of COVID, I put off my mammogram for a year,” Jamie explained. “They found a lump that was the size of a Tic Tac, so it was very small. I was very fortunate.”
Jamie’s treatment included a lumpectomy, radiation therapy and ongoing estrogen blockers to treat her hormone receptor-positive, HER2-negative invasive ductal carcinoma.
Return to the 3-Day
This November, Lesleigh and Jamie are returning to the San Diego 3-Day once again. This time, with even deeper meaning.
“Lesleigh is turning 60, it’s my third year of survivorship,” Jamie said. “So, we’re walking 60 miles for her 60 years and three days for my three years.”
Their bond has only grown stronger over time, not just through their breast cancer journeys, but through the unwavering support they’ve given each other.
“She lifts me up. She challenges me and she shows me the way, not just the fight for cancer but for other things, too,” Lesleigh said, fighting back tears. “She’s just the best person ever.”
More Than a Walk
For both Lesleigh and Jamie, the 3-Day is about so much more than walking.
“It’s challenging, but also so energetic and special,” Lesleigh said. “The Pink Bubble is like a bubble of joy, beauty and camaraderie. It just energizes you. The walking is hard, but the love and support around you keep you going.”
Outside of training or walking in the 3-Day, Jamie and Lesleigh have shared other special memories together including Bunco nights, voter outreach events and birthday parties.
“When Lesleigh and I were diagnosed, I was upset,” Jamie admitted. “But I realized this is why we’ve been doing the 3-Day all along. This is what we’ve been training for. I firmly believe that what we’ve helped raise over the years has helped us become survivors.”
To learn more about the San Diego 3-Day, visit the3day.org.
“Many can’t believe I am going to walk again at my age. I tell them I’m healthier now than I was in 2014,” she laughs. “But I do take one sweep van before the San Juan Hill. That stretch is tough.”