Congratulations to the 2019 Seattle 3-Day Milestone Award Winner, Mary Ann Isaac

Please join us in congratulating our 2019 Seattle Milestone Award Winners; Mary Ann Isaac. The Susan G. Komen 3-Day® Milestone Award is given at each event to a walker or crew member who has an outstanding history of participation in the Komen 3-Day. At the Seattle 3-Day camp show, we presented Mary Ann with this special honor.

Friends like Kathy Giller say that “Mary Ann has been a tour de force in her fundraising efforts to help fight breast cancer. She was inducted into Susan G. Komen’s inaugural class of its Lifetime Commitment Circle as a major contributor. It’s been my honor to have Mary Ann as a friend, fellow warrior, and supporter of a cause that we are both passionate about.”

Mary Alexander echoes that love, and even credits Mary Ann with introducing her to the 3-Day.

“Mary Ann is the most caring person I know. Her dedication to Susan G. Komen is just one example. Her commitment to fundraising, training, and walking inspire me to be a better person.

Mary Ann asked me to walk with her at her first 3-Day walk. I was not sure I could do it. And then we completed the 60 miles. The 3-Day event has such a positive impact on your life, and it changes you. It gives you a new confidence and sense of accomplishment while you are helping others. The 3-Day is Mary Ann’s way of having a positive impact on many people she has not yet met. I am in awe of the life changing impact of Mary Ann’s fund raising is having and I could not be prouder to be the friend of an 11-time walker.”

What was your inspiration to do your first 3-Day?

My cousins walked in the 2008 Cleveland 3-Day. Both their mom (my aunt) and my mom are survivors. My cousins had such an amazing time and signed up for the 2009 walk. They asked my to walk with them. I said “YES” and signed up for my very first 3-Day.

What has brought you back to the 3-Day year after year?

The 3-Day is an amazing experience. Once you have experienced the pink bubble, it is impossible to walk away. I believe in Susan G. Komen and am excited to continue to hear about research the 3-Day helps to fund and the advancements being made to find a cure.

What is the secret to your 3-Day fundraising success?

I am fortunate to have very supportive family, friends, and colleagues. My fundraising success is all about perseverance. I ask, remind, and ask again. Most people are willing to donate, they just need to be asked when they have a few minutes to donate. Reminding them on a periodic basis helps tremendously 🙂 In addition, saying thank you and sending thank you cards after the event, keep my sponsors coming back year after year.

What’s a fun fact about you?

I always use the 3-Day as my fun fact when I am asked about it (it’s another opportunity to fundraise). Another fun fact is that I spend more nights in a hotel in a year than I spend in my own bed. I have been traveling for work 4-5 days a week for over 30 years.

What are the most important lessons you’ve learned on the 3-Day? The most important lessons I have learned include:

If you are a solo walker, find fellow walkers that walk your speed and meet them. Walking is more fun in a group than solo!
Bring icy hot! it is a life-saver after a long day of walking

Congratulations to the 2019 New England 3-Day Milestone Award Winners, Carol Holt & Cynthia Crisp

Please join us in congratulating our 2019 New England Milestone Award Winners; Carol Holt and Cynthia Crisp. The Susan G. Komen 3-Day® Milestone Award is given at each event to a walker or crew member who has an outstanding history of participation in the Komen 3-Day. At the New England 3-Day camp show, we presented not one but two amazing ladies – Carol and Cynthia – with this special honor.

Together they have walked for 16 years and each participated in more than 20 3-Days each. They have each also raised more than $68,000 for Susan G. Komen and the 3-Day. And they’re not done yet! They are part of team Wild Women Originals, and teammate Jay Dorval says that even while “Coaches changed. Team dynamics changed.” and the years passed, Carol and Cynthia kept their dedication to their team and this cause. “A few of us die hards kept our focus and our hearts strong,” and that included these amazing sisters.

Teammate Lynn Ostberg also had so many things to say about these amazing women.

“As individual walkers and fundraisers Cynthia and Carol are great, starting at the beginning and making sure friends and family dress in pink and go get mammograms together. They have lost good friends to this disease and have continued to fight and raise awareness in their memory. They are dedicated to the cause for sure and are such good stewards of the event, walking injured, having knee replacements and more.”

We are honored to have them at our New England walk this weekend, and as a part of our 3-Day family. Let’s now hear from Cindy and Cynthia themselves…

What was your inspiration to do the 3-Day?

Cindy: My maternal grandmother had breast cancer. She had a mastectomy and lived many years after until she passed away from heart disease. My cousin, however, was diagnosed with breast cancer after having her 3rd child and passed away within a year at the age of 26. Because of our family history, we were advised to start having mammograms at age 35. My sister Carol and I were very good about having ours annually, but I had another sister, Tina, who kept putting it off.

Finally, one year when she asked me what I wanted for my birthday, I asked her to go with me for a mammogram; I would make all the arrangements. I was very excited when she agreed! When I told Carol that we were going, she asked if she could join us, then when I told my Mom, she said she’d also like to go. I called Tina back and told her I was going to have a mammogram birthday party! Her reply: “What will you do if one of us gives you breast cancer for your birthday?”

I said, “I can only hope it will be an early detection.”

As it turned out, my mother in fact was diagnosed with breast cancer…time gets away from us and she thought it had only been 2 years since her last mammogram when in fact, it had been 4 years. She had surgery, radiation and tamoxifen. Within a month a dear friend, Joanie, who had lived with our family while growing up, was diagnosed for the second time with breast cancer.

At this time, 2002, Avon ran the walk. When Carol and I saw the commercials on TV, we knew this was something we wanted to do. The following year, two of my daughters walked the Avon was which now was a 2-day walk. Then Susan G. Komen took over the 3-Day and we preferred walking the 60 miles, so we began walking the 3-Day again.

What has brought you back to the 3-Day year after year?

Carol: My sister Cindy and I promised each other we would walk until we no longer could or a cure was found.

Cindy: When we started walking the Susan G. Komen 3-Day, we heard about the promise that Nancy Brinker made to her sister Susan. So, Carol and I made our own sister promise: We would continue to walk if our health allowed or until they found a cure. We never thought that 17 years later, we would still be doing multiple walks a year.

What is the secret to your 3-Day fundraising success?

Carol: One simple idea is just sending out personal letters and talking about finding a cure.

Cindy: We’ve done many things to raise money. One year we held a pig roast, hired a band and sold tickets. Another year we had a sports memorabilia auction and sold raffle tickets for a signed David Ortiz Pink baseball bat. The restaurant also donated a portion of their proceeds. […] But I would have to say, I built up a very loyal base of supporters and send out a letter every year and that is where I have raised the majority of my money.

What is your best advice to anyone walking the 3-Day?

Carol: Enjoy the walk….take your time and meet all the wonderful people!

Cindy: Take your time….it’s not a race. Talk to people. Hear their stories…and count your blessings.

What is a fun fact about you?

Carol: Cindy and I just finished walking 500 miles across Spain!

Cindy: We started walking from St. Jean Pied de Port, France. We hiked over the Pyrenees mountains into Spain and walked 500 miles over 40 days, ending in Santiago. It was amazing! I like to think of it as our 3-Day training walk.

What are the most important lessons you’ve learned on the 3-Day?

Cindy: Live each day to the fullest. Cancer isn’t choosy…it can strike at anytime to any person. Count your blessings and take nothing for granted.

Carol: Never give up. Breast cancer touches everyone, and everyone is like family.

Congratulations to the 2019 Twin Cities 3-Day Milestone Award Winner, Cynthia Geye

Please join us in congratulating our 2019 Twin Cities Milestone Award Winner; Cynthia Geye. The Susan G. Komen 3-Day® Milestone Award is given at each event to a walker or crew member who has an outstanding history of participation in the Komen 3-Day. At the Twin Cities 3-Day camp show, we presented Cynthia with this special honor.

Before she left home for the 3-Day this year, we talked to Cynthia about what the 3-Day means to her. She is walking this year with her granddaughter Callie Powers, and walking for Jen, Callie’s mom and Cindy’s daughter. When Callie was born, Cindy had just completed treatment and she told the family that Callie would be her reason to live and keep fighting. Now, Callie is walking with Cindy for the first time, in Jen’s honor.

Jen says that Cindy is “a very positive person, always looking on the bright side, laughing and is totally goofy. She has made this walk her passion and will not stop until we eradicate this disease.”

We are honored to share Cindy’s story, in her own words, below…

Back in 2005, one year after surviving 3 bouts of metastatic breast cancer, my oldest daughter suggested, no, she insisted that we do something big in the fight against breast cancer. She had seen an ad for the Susan G. Komen 3-day Breast Cancer walks. She used every coercive method she could to convince me to walk. I, of course, came up with every imaginable excuse as to why I should NOT walk. But, walk we did (even convinced my younger daughter to join us).

Since then, I have walked every year and every city multiple times. Sometimes with my daughters and many times as a solo walker. This year, I am walking with my granddaughter. This is my 27th walk and each walk is so memorable. With every walk, I meet new friends. We share our stories, our tears, our hopes for the future. We laugh, we cry, and we support one another. Each walk is 3 days full of kindness, caring and commitment.

When I first started walking, there was a song titled “Why We Walk.” The refrain says it all: “We walk to remember. We walk to celebrate…. For those who are gone and those who live on. We honor them all and that’s why we walk.”

You see, God has given me amazing health these last 20+ years and I can use it to make a difference in the fight against breast cancer. The blisters, aches and pains are nothing compared to what every cancer patient goes through when we are battling this disease.

As I am a fast walker, I have been told many times that it is not how fast you walk, but, rather, enjoying the 3-Day journey. This is about all the people, not just the walkers.

It’s all the people that come out to cheer us on. The bald women with their signs that say “Thank you. You’re walking for me.” To know that we are helping them have a second chance at life. Every survivor, no matter where they live, deserve the best possible care.

It’s about the little girls holding their signs that say, “Please find a cure before I grow up.” To have the color pink be more than the symbol for breast cancer, but rather the color for hair ribbons and prom dresses.

This is not about what you endure while walking – the blisters, aches and pains – it is so much more. It is what you walk away with – the memories that will last a lifetime. While my own cancer journey was very scary, not knowing if I would survive, it has ended up as a true gift. It has brought me many blessings, a deeper faith and a richer perspective on life. It has brought me to the 3-Day.