“The 3-Day Crew prepared me for Snowmageddon.”

Early this week, I got the following email from Libby, the Crew & Volunteer Coordinator for the Susan G. Komen Atlanta 3-Day:

“You have probably heard by now that Atlanta was hit with a fast moving, low producing snow storm this past Tuesday. While most of the country would not blink at a mere 3 inches of snow, it launched a chain of events in Atlanta that has left the city reeling. Even days later.

“As the snow started to fall, schools quickly dismissed and parents hit the roads to go pick up their children. There were lots of factors involved, but the short story is that Atlanta was not prepared. The roads had not been salted and trucks that were on the road were quickly stuck in gridlock traffic. Over the next 30 HOURS, thousands of people where stuck in their cars. The school system shut down its transportation and kids that were on buses were sent back to school. Thousands of children were stranded at school, with parents not able to get to them. I will let you look up all of the gory details but the magic that came from the storm was amazing. People walked in groups for miles to get home. People took in strangers to spend the night and have a place to shelter. Men with 4-wheel-drive vehicles spent all night rescuing cars in ditches on the side of the roads. All while teachers and administrators took care of over 5,000 children left in Atlanta schools to spend the night.”

Georgia Department of Transportation

It was a grim and frightening recap of events, a first-hand account which I had seen versions of on the news for days. But Libby was bringing all of this up to spotlight an email exchange she had with Eileen S., a 10-year crew member/crew captain on the Atlanta 3-Day. Eileen, who works at an Atlanta hospital, had shared with Libby her experience with the storm, saying, “There were so many horror stories of people stuck for 8+ hours. It was actually okay here [at the hospital]. Almost a 3-Day experience since we all pitched in wherever we were needed. I’m in charge of the laboratory information systems, but that didn’t stop me from moving recliners (for visitors, patient families, etc.), doing bed counts and working the hot food line in the cafeteria. Sometimes, I think the 3-Day prepares you for any emergency. I took it all in stride.”

Eileen weathering another storm on the 3-Day (with a smile!)

I got in touch with Eileen and asked her to elaborate on how her 3-Day Crew background helped her last week, and she shared, “Whether it’s the 3-Day or my position [at work], I’m of the mind that you do whatever is needed to help. I knew when I started working in a healthcare facility (many years ago) that people don’t fall ill Monday–Friday, 9-5 on sunny days only. So, you do what you need to do. Same thing for the 3-Day. My responsibility is to do whatever is needed to support the walkers, the crew, the event staff and to make it a safe and unforgettable experience.

“The bottom line is whether I’m crewing or at work, I’m service-oriented. My friends thought I was doing something special. I thought it was just part of what I do.”

Libby agreed, “Eileen is right. The 3-Day is a place where we ask crew members to go above and beyond. To show kindness in everything they do. To work long hours and get little sleep. To work together, with strangers, for the good of the cause. And to be ready for anything. I am thankful for the 3-Day and people like Eileen.”

We are too.

Fundraising for the 3-Day: Ready… Set… Start NOW!

When it comes to fundraising for the Susan G. Komen 3-Day®, getting started early is the way to go. You may be saying, “But my event isn’t for another 7 (or 8, 9, or 10) months. I have plenty of time!” This is true, but consider:

That time will fly by. You know it will. It always does.
Our years of experience have shown that walkers who get their fundraising started early are far more likely to reach their goals. The ones who get started early don’t have to call a 3-Day coach in a panic with three weeks to go until the event and say “help!” (Though we’re there for those people, too. We’ve got your back!)
You will have other things to do to prepare for the 3-Day as it gets closer (Training! Travel planning! Recruiting teammates!), so why not knock out your fundraising early? It will be SUCH a weight off your shoulders to know that you’ve reached your minimum early and aren’t scrambling for donations at the end amidst everything else you have to do.
The earlier you get to that $2300 minimum, the more time you have to exceed that amount and bring even more dollars to the cause of ending breast cancer forever.

So how do you get started? Here are a few practical, specific tips to get things rolling:

List your BFFs – Here’s an exercise for you: Set a timer for 1 minute, and write down the first 15 names that come to your head. Think about the people who are closest to you. Your best friends. Your family. Your biggest supporters. The people who were most excited/amazed/inspired about you registering for the 3-Day in the first place. These are the people who know you the best, love you the greatest, and are most invested in helping you achieve your goals. They’re the ones you’re going to start with.
Ask – No brainer, right? It is, but you’d be surprised how often this one little step trips people up. Well good thing you have that list from step 1 of amazing people who want to see you succeed. Reach out to each one of them personally. Now is not the time for emails or texts. Make a phone call, plan a chat over coffee or happy hour (your treat, of course!) or write a handwritten note. It’s only February, so you have time to put in that little extra touch of personal effort. Tell them how much doing the 3-Day means to you, and ask them to support you with a donation. Some of you are probably thinking, “I hate to impose on my friends!” and my response is this: they are not going to be mad or offended that you asked them for a donation. On the contrary, they will be honored that you considered them important enough to come to first. Show them the list you made, then let them put a big pink checkmark next to their name. Carry the list with you when you walk. (You just got chills, didn’t you?)
Share Why NOW is Important – Sometimes, donors will respond to your request by saying they’ll donate “when it’s closer to your walk.” I call these people procras-donators, and you still love and respect them, but you have a great opportunity here to put them straight in their thinking. Tell your donors that the funds that you bring in to the 3-Day go to work right away, helping pay for research grants, local outreach, and programs in our communities immediately. Somewhere, there’s a woman who is seeking support from Susan G. Komen® today, in February. She can’t wait until it’s closer to your walk, so encourage your donors not to wait either. (And if, in the end, they still ask to wait, put a big red circle on your calendar for one month from today, then ask them again. They’ve already said yes and next month, you’ll be “closer.”)
Break it Down – No, not a dance break, though, if that’ll help you get motivated, I say go for it! I’m talking about breaking down your fundraising goal into smaller, less intimidating amounts. Yes, $2300 is a lot of money to raise. But how does $12 sound? With exactly 192 days between today and Day 1 of the Michigan 3-Day (the first of the 2014 events), all you would have to raise is $12 a day. That’s just one way to break down your goal. You could also break it down by week ($85.19 per week for Michigan), by mile ($38.33 for each of your 60 miles), or make it nice and round ($23 from 100 people). Makes it a heck of a lot less daunting, doesn’t it? You can do the “break it down” trick at any point, but the longer you wait, the higher that “per day” amount gets. So try it now, and watch those $12 donations pour in! (Oh, and any time you want to see how many days or weeks you have left until your event, just log in to your Participant Center on the 3-Day website. You’ll find the countdown right at the top.)

I know that the thought of starting your fundraising can be overwhelming, and so you put it off in the hope of avoiding that scariness just a little longer. When I feel that way, I always remind myself that whatever anxiety I’m feeling about fundraising is nothing—nothing!—compared to the terror of hearing the words, “You have breast cancer.” I don’t ever want to hear those words. I don’t ever want my daughters to hear them. So I’m going to keep raising money for the 3-Day, and keep us moving toward a world without breast cancer.

Starting now.

Friday Fitness Reminder from Dr. Sheri

Did you know that training for a Susan G. Komen 3-Day^® can increase your fitness level, help you feel better and have more energy for work AND leisure? If you didn’t know, now you do! Many of our Komen 3-Day participants have asked me where I get all my energy. Honestly, fitness and daily exercise are at the heart of my physical and emotional well being. Following the recommended training schedule provided by our 3-Day^® coaches will not only ensure that you have a safe and enjoyable experience, but in the process you’ll feel more able to do things like playing with your kids, gardening, dancing, or biking.

The secret to all that energy? Get physical!

Improving your fitness is good for your heart, lungs, bones, muscles, and joints. It also lowers your risk for falls, heart attack, diabetes, high blood pressure, and some cancers. If you already have one or more of these problems, getting more fit may help you control other health problems and make you feel better.

Maybe you exercise to tone your thighs, build your biceps, or flatten your belly. Or maybe you work out to ward off the big killers like heart disease, diabetes, and cancer. But how about sweating to improve your mind? Exercise is the single best thing you can do for your brain in terms of mood, memory, and learning.

The health benefits of regular exercise and physical activity are hard to ignore. Exercise and physical activity are a great way to feel better, gain health benefits and have fun. And the benefits of exercise are yours for the taking, regardless of your age, sex or physical ability. Remember to check with your doctor before starting a new exercise program, especially if you have any health concerns.

So as you save lives all across the globe, work on enhancing your own by following those training schedules, signing up for training walks, and simply getting fit. Let’s WALK!

-Dr. Sheri

Eager to start your training?
Download the 3-Day training app for iPhone!

Dr. Sheri Prentiss is the National Spokesperson for the Susan G. Komen 3-Day^®, as well as a breast cancer survivor and a walker herself.