Embracing the Pink Bubble in the Midst of Grief

Erin P. walks the 3-Day for her mother, Bernadette.

This year, Erin P. experienced the kind of heartbreak most people can’t imagine —losing both of her parents just seven weeks apart. Her father passed away first, following years of health challenges, including cancer. Her mother, Bernadette, a two-time breast cancer survivor, died shortly after.

In the midst of navigating her grief, Erin came across the Susan G. Komen 3-Day® and felt inspired to participate for the first time as a way to honor her mother’s strength and resilience amid the relentlessness of breast cancer.

“My parents were fighters. They really were,” Erin said, tears falling from her eyes. “When I saw something about the 3-Day right after my mom died, I knew I wanted to do it.”

Breast Cancer

Bernadette died from metastatic breast cancer

To understand what led Erin to the 3-Day, you have to go back to 2017. That’s when Bernadette was first diagnosed with stage 0 breast cancer. She underwent a lumpectomy, followed by radiation therapy and oral chemotherapy medication.

“After that, the doctors told my mom she was cancer-free, so we marched on with our lives and everything was going so well,” Erin recalled.

Bernadette and her husband

During that time, Erin gave birth to her son, Thomas. He was her parents’ only grandson. But in 2021, Bernadette was diagnosed again, this time with stage 3 triple negative breast cancer. The treatment was grueling. Bernadette had a double mastectomy, more chemotherapy and another bout of radiation therapy which caused a painful wound.

“The burn on her chest from the radiation started off as the size of a quarter, and it kept getting bigger,” Erin explained. “My dad had to do wound care for her, and she later needed a skin graft surgery.”

Despite the physical toll, Erin and her parents moved from New York to Florida to be closer to her sister, who had recently gotten engaged. Erin said for a while, her mom seemed to be doing better. After completing treatment, her scans showed no signs of breast cancer.

Bernadette and her husband In October 2023, Erin’s parents celebrated their 41st wedding anniversary, a milestone that reflected decades of devotion, love and shared medical challenges.

But their joy was short-lived. Soon after, Bernadette received more devastating news. Her breast cancer returned and had metastasized to her bones. Despite the diagnosis, Bernadette was able to spend two more holiday seasons with her family, as well as be at her daughter, Tara’s, wedding.

Erin P. and her family celebrating Christmas before her parents died. But earlier this year, both Bernadette and her husband’s health declined, and they were hospitalized at separate times. Erin and her sister were there for each of them. In a final, tender moment, Bernadette had the chance to say goodbye to her husband before he passed away. She followed seven weeks later.

The 3-Day

The weeks that followed were filled with heavy grief for Erin, but also reflection. She organized a beautiful memorial service where she handed out pink breast cancer awareness ribbons in honor of her mom.

First-time walker Erin P. at the Denver 3-Day.

Then a few months later, she boarded a plane from Florida to the Denver 3-Day.

“I went to the 3-Day with minimal expectations, no training. I just wanted to honor my mom, and my dad too,” Erin said. “I took the extra pink ribbons I had from the memorial, and I gave them to the volunteers, crew and walkers and I told them about my mom.”

Despite a foot injury that prevented her from walking the full route, Erin was determined to finish. She walked as much as she could, and when she reached the final stretch, her son and husband were waiting to cheer her on.

“I really wanted to make sure I finished for my mom.,” she said, “I took my son’s hand, and we crossed the finish line together. It was beautiful. I was so emotional thinking about my mom and my dad and everybody who has gone through breast cancer.”

Erin P. was honored at the Denver 3-Day Celebration of Champions.

To Erin’s surprise, she was honored with the “Best Tug Your Heartstrings Story” award at the Denver 3-Day Celebration of Champions. She’s already fundraising and preparing to walk again, this time at the Tampa Bay 3-Day in 2027.

“The Pink Bubble was overwhelming in the best way,” Erin said. “I got so many hugs from strangers who are part of this big, beautiful community. I’m just so glad I jumped into the 3-Day when I needed it most.”

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Statements and opinions expressed are that of the individual and do not express the views or opinions of Susan G. Komen. This information is being provided for educational purposes only and is not to be construed as medical advice. Persons with breast cancer should consult their health care provider with specific questions or concerns about their treatment.

Dr. Judy’s 10-Year ‘Camino’ After Breast Cancer

Statements and opinions expressed are that of the individual and do not express the views or opinions of Susan G. Komen. This information is being provided for educational purposes only and is not to be construed as medical advice. Persons with breast cancer should consult their health care provider with specific questions or concerns about their treatment.

When breast cancer entered Dr. Judy’s life in 2014, she was 64 and at the height of a demanding academic career, leading the biotechnology program at the University of California, Davis and working 60-hour weeks. With a family history of breast cancer, she never missed her annual mammogram. That spring, her mammogram showed something suspicious.

“I was a Nike sponsored marathon runner in my 30s and I have a Ph.D. in microbiology,” she told her doctor at the time. “I am a tough woman, but this scares me. My maternal grandmother died from metastatic breast cancer in 1967 at the age of 65.”

After a biopsy, Dr. Judy was diagnosed with Grade 1 tubular carcinoma, hormone receptor-positive, HER2 negative of her left breast. A lumpectomy followed, and radiation was recommended by her doctor. With her background in clinical medicine, Dr. Judy researched the risk and benefits of radiation of her non-aggressive cancer. She worried about possible heart valve damage. She respectfully declined radiation and decided to focus on lifestyle changes including nutrition, exercise and stress reduction.

But the road to recovery wasn’t easy.

“I got very depressed after my surgery,” Dr. Judy recalled. “This cancer was a reminder that chronic stress has serious effects on the body. So, I focused on increasing exercise, eating healthy, reducing alcohol consumption and adding yoga to reduce the stress from my high-powered job.”

That October, she was introduced to the Susan G. Komen 3-Day® and joined the Hands Up For Hooters Team, after her sister Patty joined. After our 2015 walk in San Diego, our sister Chrissy joined the team. In 2020, Chrissy was diagnosed with early stage breast cancer.

“The 3-Day changed my life,” Dr. Judy said. “It’s my spiritual journey (My Camino). Each year, I walk to raise money and awareness for breast cancer and I am usually one of the top fundraisers on the team.”

Dr. Judy explained that her diagnosis didn’t just change her health, it also changed her outlook. The intense schedule that once defined her career no longer felt sustainable.

“I was busy trying to change the world before I got breast cancer,” she said. “Facing my own mortality made me realize I had to make changes.”

In 2018 when her grandson was born, she made the decision to retire and shift her focus fully to her health, philanthropy and her family.

“He wants to be a scientist like me,” she said with a big smile. “I want to be there for his college graduation. He’s my reason for getting up in the morning. I want to stay healthy so I can be a good grandma.”

Ten years after her diagnosis, Dr. Judy is now 75 and cancer free. She is gearing up for her 10th 60-mile walk at the San Diego 3-Day. Her husband, Kent, always joins her and is a valued cheerleader. They have been married for over 52 years.

“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.”

This year’s 3-Day represents a pivotal milestone for Dr. Judy as she celebrates 10 years of walking with the Pink Bubble and a decade of being cancer-free. It is also the 10th Anniversary of the Hands Up For Hooters Team.

“For three days you forget politics and other things that are going on in your life. You’re surrounded by love, stories and people walking to honor loved ones and some survivors who are still receiving cancer treatments,” Dr. Judy said. “It’s a celebration of life. I am not only a survivor; I am a Thriver!”

A Decade Later: How One Mother Honors Her Daughter by Walking the 3-Day

Joyce Laws (center) and her family at the Susan G. Komen 3-Day in San Diego.

This year marks a decade since Joyce L.’s daughter died from breast cancer. To honor her memory, Joyce will return to the Susan G. Komen 3-Day®, a place that holds bittersweet memories.

“She said to me, ‘Mom, when I get through all this, let’s do this,’” Joyce recalled. “We always planned to do a 3-Day together.”

Jennifer was just 31 when she found a lump in her breast in 2009. Around the same time, she learned she was pregnant. Her doctor advised waiting a month to monitor the lump, but a second trimester biopsy confirmed Jennifer had stage 2b lobular breast cancer. She was carrying twins, but heartbreakingly, only one would survive.

Jennifer was pregnant with twins when she was diagnosed with lobular breast cancer.

Despite the devastating news, Jennifer’s resilience kept her moving forward. Doctors removed 23 lymph nodes, 22 of which were cancerous. She had a mastectomy to remove her left breast, and later had another mastectomy to remove the other breast. She also had her ovaries removed due to her estrogen-positive diagnosis.

Through it all, Jennifer remained hopeful. She gave birth to her daughter, Maya, who was healthy and born with a full head of hair despite Jennifer undergoing chemotherapy while pregnant.

“My daughter had no hair from chemo when Maya was born, but that little girl had a head full of black hair. It just proves that the placenta takes care of the baby,” Joyce said.

After Maya’s birth, Jennifer continued chemotherapy and was ecstatic when scans showed no evidence of cancer. Jennifer returned to work as a physical therapist, traveled to India with her husband and daughter, and continued to advocate for herself and raise awareness about breast cancer. Jennifer formed a team, Warriors for Jen, and raised money for the Komen San Diego Race for The Cure® (now the San Diego MORE THAN PINK Walk®). She organized a pizza night fundraiser and comedy event that raised over $6,000.

“No matter how devastating what she was going through was, she was always looking on the bright side,” Joyce said. “She wanted to be out there and helping others.”

But in 2012, the cancer returned and metastasized (spread) to her spine. Jennifer refused to give up. She joined a clinical trial, kept her positive attitude, and enjoyed watching her little girl swim and ride her bike.

Jennifer and her daughter, Maya, swimming.

When Jennifer’s breast cancer progressed and she couldn’t walk the 3-Day, she still wanted to show up to offer her support. One of her friends walked the 3-Day and Jennifer made sure she was at the finish line to congratulate her. That inspired Joyce to take the first steps they’d planned to walk together.

“Things appeared to be a little shaky, so I decided to do it myself. I signed up as a single walker but ended up joining the Powered by Optimism team. They embodied everything Jennifer stood for,” Joyce said. “I am still on that team to this day.”

Joyce has walked in 13 events across San Diego, Boston, Chicago and Denver. She carried the “Daughter” flag in her first 3-Day walk in 2014 with Jennifer watching nearby. A few weeks after Jennifer passed away in October 2015, Joyce completed the 3-Day in San Diego.

“That was the hardest walk. But the Pink Bubble community has been part of my healing process,” Joyce said. “They’ve really been there for me.”

Now 71, Joyce continues to walk in the San Diego 3-Day and hopes to inspire the next generation to join her. Walking alongside Joyce are her son and niece, other family members, friends and her granddaughter, Maya, who is almost 16.

Maya, who has served on the Youth Corps three times, will walk her first 3-Day this year.

“I know Jennifer would be standing on the sidelines cheering for us all, especially Maya. She would be so happy to see her daughter at the 3-Day,” Joyce said.

Joyce and her granddaughter, Maya, at the Susan G. Komen 3-Day in San Diego.

In honor of Jennifer’s 10-year anniversary, Joyce is setting her fundraising goal at $10,000 – the same amount Jennifer challenged her to raise in 2015.

“I told her that was a lot, but she said, ‘You can do it mom.’” Joyce recalled. “And that year I did. I managed to raise over $10,000. So, this year, I’m doing it again, for her.”