We are constantly honored and in awe of the strength and passion we see from all our 3-Day participants. We always endeavor to provide special support and love to our community of survivors and those living with metastatic breast cancer. They are the strength that gives walkers extra motivation, and keep us inspired all year long to continue working towards Komen’s Bold Goal.
One such survivor is Diana Reid, who has walked 11 3-Day events in Atlanta, many of them side-by-side with her family.
She began walking in 2007 after being diagnosed the year prior with Stage 3 Triple Negative breast cancer. Her daughter walked with her then, and they were joined in 2009 by Diana’s sister, who had received her own breast cancer diagnosis that year. By 2015, Diana’s daughter-in-law had also joined the 3-Day Medical Crew, and Diana’s younger sister had crewed the Atlanta 3-Day as well.
She says, “The support we get at the 3-Day is incredible! Not only by the crew and staff, but by the community as well. It makes you feel like you are doing something important. Because so many of my family members have been affected by breast cancer I feel a great need to try and contribute any way I can to find a cure.”
The 3-Day weekend is truly a family affair for Diana. That is because so much of her family has been touched by breast cancer, and benefited from Komen-supported research and grants.
In January of this year, Diana got the call telling her that there was a lesser-known rad51c gene mutation that has been linked to ovarian and breast cancer, and that she had this mutation. She later discovered that her father, daughter and younger sister all also had the mutation.
Since then, she has undergone a complete hysterectomy and a double mastectomy. Her daughter also had double mastectomy as a preventative measure.
“I have always believed that the funds raised by the 3-Day for research are important, but this year that has really hit home for me and my family. Not only has research enabled me to cut my chances of a re-occurrence by 99% but it has also enabled my daughter to cut her chances of a diagnosis.”
That’s why they are going to keep creating memories together as they continue to walk in what Diana calls an “overwhelming and incredibly fun” weekend. They are all already excited for 2018 and to return to “the excitement on the faces of the staff, walkers and crew from the moment it starts until the moment it ends.”
Most importantly, they are never going to give up.
Diana promises, “We will all continue to participate in the 3-Day as long as we are able or until a cure is found.”
