Congratulations to our 2022 San Diego 3-Day Milestone Award Winner Gemma G.! Gemma has participated in 13 3-Days over 10 years and has raised over $224,000 in the fight against breast cancer. We asked Gemma a few questions about her experience with the 3-Day:
What was your inspiration to do your first 3-Day???
The first time I heard about the 3-Day was through a commercial. I remember someone on the commercial saying something like, “I didn’t think I could do it. I didn’t think I could walk 60 miles” and my eyes opened up to this; my heart was in it, and here I am today! My mom said it was meant to be, and here I am, still putting one foot in front of the other.
What has brought you back to the 3-Day year after year?
I have made so many friends, and my job isn’t done yet. I have lost many friends and family to cancer and I want to help make a difference.
What is your best advice to anyone walking the 3-Day?
Have fun and train!
What are the most important lessons you’ve learned on the 3-Day?
It isn’t easy, but raising the money takes more than just myself. The small community I live in is still behind me 110%. Their support is amazing! I might “walk the walk,” but without my family, friends and continued support of my community, I wouldn’t be able to do what I do.
Coach Staci shared a brief testimonial about Gemma:
“Gemma is the epitome of selflessness. Over the years, she has done it all: from organizing a local run/walk to recycling. In the process she has found a way to inspire her very small community to rally behind her 110%. Gemma’s success has become her community’s passion and she is humbled by their outpouring of support.”
Congratulations, Gemma, and thank you for your dedication to the 3-Day!
If you’ve ever participated in a Susan G. Komen 3-Day event, you’ve probably seen or talked to Jennifer S. Participating in 28 events over eight years, Jennifer has raised more than $91,000 to date! We talked to Jennifer about what the 3-Day means to her and even got a testimonial from her team, Pink Soles in Motion.
What was your inspiration to do your first 3-Day?
My girlfriend, who had walked before, suggested that we walk after I finished my treatment. I was excited to show cancer that it was not the boss of me ? it could not dictate how I would live! I went after it, determined to be successful; to raise the money and walk all 60 miles. Whew! It changed me forever.
What has brought you back to the 3-Day year after year?
I walk because I can’t walk away. That is true and there is so much more. A few hours into my first walk, I discovered that it was not about me at all, it was so much bigger. Everyone there had a story, a compelling reason for their participation, and I was overwhelmed, inspired and committed. Then, oh my heart, the young women I see in the survivor circle. This is so wrong; young women should not have to make these hard decisions.
Somehow, once you are part of this world, you tend to meet people who are also part of this world. Do you know what I mean? I am reminded all the time of the importance of the money we raise. I am not a scientist or a doctor, but I can raise money.
Finally, being part of our community fills my bucket. The joy, kindness and shared higher purpose of our walkers, crew and volunteers lifts me up. I believe it’s the world the way it should be, could be.
What is the secret to your 3-Day fundraising success?
I wish I had a secret :). I have been so fortunate; blessed really by people who have jumped in to help, and some who contribute every year. I am pretty much fundraising ALL the time; it might be considered an obsession. I have learned how to ask. I use the Facebook fundraiser and ask for my birthday, Christmas and of course October ? Breast Cancer Awareness Month. I tell everyone I meet what I am doing, ask them to join me and ask for a donation. I do tithe to myself, a little bit each month. I sell filled Easter eggs every year and hide them for an extra charge. Our team has a golf tournament, sells wreaths at the holidays and tamales for Christmas. I was blessed to have a couple of matchers help me this year which made a huge difference.
What is your best advice to anyone walking the 3-Day?
Oh gosh. Train; train in the shoes, socks, clothes and pack you intend to use for the event. Resist the temptation to purchase something new the night or the week before. Find some veteran walkers and pick their brains. Then, relax and enjoy the event. It’s 60 miles whether you walk the whole way or ride in the sweep vans a bit. There is no judgement on the 3-Day.
What’s a fun fact about you?
My fun fact is that I learned to ice skate at the ripe old age of 44 and earned a gold medal in a senior competition.
Jennifer’s team, Pink Soles in Motion, provided a brief testimonial about her:
“Everyone knows Jennifer because she is a cheerleader, a motivator, and a supporter and because Pink Soles in Motion has named her our unofficial 3-Day ambassador. Jennifer’s dedication to the 3-Day and Pink Soles in Motion has helped raise awareness for the cause and made the Pink Bubble an even better place to be. We wouldn’t be surprised if she bleeds pink! So, for a good time…walk with Jennifer!! Congratulations Jennifer! We love you.”
Congratulations, Jennifer, on receiving this award, and for all of the accomplishments you’ve achieved from funds raised to the amount of years participated in the Susan G. Komen 3-Day! Stay tuned for our last 2022 Milestone Award Winner Blog for the San Diego 3-Day and read about our other Milestone Award Winners here.
Please join us in congratulating our 2021 San Diego 3-Day Milestone Award Winner, Jeannie A.! Jeannie celebrated her 50TH 3-Day during 3-Day Nation and now her 51st after San Diego. She has raised more than $141,000 since she first started participating in 2004! Jeannie’s commitment to the Susan G. Komen 3-Day®, Susan G. Komen® and the fight against breast cancer epitomizes what the Pink Bubble is all about.
In preparation for giving Jeannie the Milestone Award, we reached out to her friend and teammate Kathy, who said, “We LOVE our Jeannie, and that’s an understatement. Jeannie cares so much about finding the cures because she is so emotionally moved when she hears of a young person battling this disease. I believe she feels she “lucked out” with a modest battle herself, and therefore her way to show gratitude and appreciation for her life is to pay it forward for others fighting this disease.”
We asked Jeannie a few questions so we, along with the rest of the Pink Bubble, could get to know her a little better.
What was your inspiration to do your first Komen 3-Day??
In 2001 I served as a crew member on the Avon Breast Cancer 3-Day. When I had my annual mammogram, it showed something irregular that my doctor wanted to investigate. It was cancer. The Monday after the walk I had surgery. I was lucky; it was small and we caught it early. I wanted to walk the following year to feel healthy and normal. The walk was in May, and on Friday the weather was beautiful. However, we got rain, sleet and snow on Saturday, so the route was shut down. I felt cheated, so I signed up for the following year. The Avon 3-Day then became the Avon 2-Day, and I felt cheated again. But then Susan G. Komen brought the 3-Day® back, and I jumped on board and never looked back.??
What has brought you back to the 3-Day year after year??
My goals kept changing. At first it was going to be one and done. Then, it was going to be five walks to coincide with my being five years cancer-free. Then 10 years, then 20 walks, then doing all fourteen cities (not in one year), then $150,000 and then the seven cities. The 3-Day just becomes a part of your life, and breast cancer is still out there.
What is the secret to your 3-Day fundraising success??
My fundraising has changed over the years. At first, I mainly had individual donations. Over the years I have knitted scarfs, made t-shirts and memory quilts, stood in front of a liquor store with a bucket and had yard sales. I suggest looking for donation matches and asking everyone you know. The worst they can do is say no!
What is your best advice to anyone walking the 3-Day??
My advice to new walkers is to have fun, meet new people and listen to their stories. And remember this is a fundraiser, not an endurance test. You want to walk into closing on Sunday and be able to go to work on Monday. And you do not get a gold star for doing all the miles. Just because you get into a sweep van, it does not mean you cannot walk anymore that day. Sometimes you just need a little help.?
?
What’s a fun fact about you??
I make great biscotti!
What are the most important lessons you’ve learned on?the 3-Day??
I have learned that people can do more than they think. If you work at it, it is amazing how much you can accomplish. That is how we will find the cures.?
Join us in congratulating Jeannie! THANK YOU for your contributions to the Komen 3-Day over the last 17 years!
