Cathy’s 20-Year Journey With the 3-Day

Cathy M. and her friend, Benny, who met at the Komen 3-Day in 2004.

Cathy M. has been part of the Susan G. Komen 3-Day® for more than 20 years and still shows up each November ready to walk all 60 miles.

She has collected the names of 180 people impacted by breast cancer — names she now wears on a pink cape as she walks.

“The names are of people diagnosed with breast cancer, those we have lost and the names of inspiring survivors,” Cathy said. “I walk for them. The real heroes.”

Cathy first discovered the 3-Day while sitting at a traffic light in Southern California, where she watched a sea of walkers moving down the coast. Something about that moment stuck with her. Even though she didn’t yet have a personal connection to breast cancer, she felt drawn to be a part of it.

Cathy M. wears a pink cape that has names of people impacted by breast cancer.

Years later, that connection became deeply personal when her sister was diagnosed with breast cancer, and Cathy wanted to offer her support.

“My sister didn’t even tell us about her cancer until after her surgery,” Cathy said. “After that, I got my rear off the couch and signed up.”

Cathy walked her first 3-Day in 2003 in San Diego at the age of 51 and hasn’t missed a year since.

Since then, she’s become a resource for “newbies” taking on the Komen 3-Day, even writing her own survival guide — playfully titled 60-Mile Walk Survival Guide From an Old Lady Walking — to pass along advice based on her experience. She shares it for free on Facebook.

“I like to think I get smarter with each event under my feet,” Cathy said with a smile. “The guide is just what has worked for me and my hope is that something in there could help the new walkers.”

Cathy M. and her team walking the San Diego 3-Team during the 2010 rainstorm.

While Cathy has never had breast cancer, she said she has spent years reflecting on what keeps her coming back to the 3-Day.

“It just puts life in perspective,” Cathy said. “It grounds me and reconnects me to the Pink Bubble. The people, the atmosphere, it’s so positive. I love meeting everyone and hearing their stories. It really is more than just a walk.”

When she’s not walking in the 3-Day, Cathy is a caregiver to her 103-year-old mother in Boise, Idaho, a role that reflects the same strength and compassion she brings to the walk every year. Her sister, Terry, is a more than 20-year breast cancer survivor, and Cathy continues to walk in her honor.

Cathy also shares her 3-Day experiences through a personal blog and has written a book inspired by her journey in the Pink Bubble. For Cathy, the 3-Day is more than an event, it’s a lifelong connection to the people and stories that continue to guide her steps.

National Volunteer Week: Join the Heart of the 3-Day

It’s National Volunteer Week, a time to highlight the incredible impact volunteers make through acts of service. At the Susan G. Komen 3-Day®, volunteers make every step of the journey possible through their commitment to creating an unforgettable experience for participants across the Pink Bubble community.

Whether it’s managing parking at camp, cheering walkers on with a high-five along the route, or helping participants unload their gear when it gets too heavy to carry and ensure it makes it back to camp, there are countless ways for individuals and groups to get involved and make a difference.

A volunteer giving support to a walker at the 2025 Dallas/Fort Worth 3-Day.

People like Amy S. and sons are what make the 3-Day so special. After nearly 20 years supporting the 3-Day Crew, Amy encouraged her sons to start volunteering.

“Over the past four years or so, my sons and their philanthropy group have supported the 3-Day by helping set up tents and serve food,” Amy shared. “I’ve simply tried to model for my boys the importance of giving back and sharing their time.”

How to Get Involved

Volunteers at the 3-Day typically commit just a few hours during a single day, with no fundraising commitment. Whether you’re signing up individually or with a group (corporate teams, school and university groups, scout troops, community organizations, faith-based groups, etc.), there are many ways to make an impact, including:

Volunteers posing near one of the sweeps at the 2025 Dallas/Fort Worth 3-Day.

Cheering squads along the route

Hydration station and pit stop support

Camp set-up and breakdown

Finish Line Festival support/T-shirt distribution

Gear transport and participant assistance

Traffic control and shuttle support

Age requirements vary by role, with many opportunities available for younger volunteers with adult supervision, and others reserved for those 18+ or with specific medical qualifications.

Join the Crew

If you‘re able to commit to the full 3-Day event weekend (Thursday afternoon through Sunday), consider joining our amazing crew! Crew members take on assigned roles that support participants throughout the entire event and commit to raising at least $100.

Medical professionals are also encouraged to join the medical crew which is an essential part of the 3-Day, providing medical assistance to walkers during the 60-mile event. All medical crew members must hold current, valid licensure. If you’re interested in joining the crew, register here.

A member of the Medical Crew assisting a walker at the 2025 Dallas/Fort Worth 3-Day.

The 3-Day is powered by people who show up, give their time and create moments that participants carry with them longer after they reach the finish line. We invite you to be a part of that impact at one of our upcoming 3-Day events:

Boston (Aug. 21-23, 2026)

Dallas/Fort Worth (Oct. 23-25, 2026)

San Diego (Nov. 13-15, 2026)

Tampa Bay (Feb. 19-21, 2027)

If you are ready to volunteer your time to do something meaningful, contact us at volunteer@komen.org.

10 Years Behind the 3-Day Camera

3-Day photographer Michael Der at the closing ceremony of the Susan G. Komen 3-Day.

At the Susan G. Komen 3-Day®, participants aren’t the only ones covering miles each day. For the past 10 years, Mike D. has been right there alongside them — camera in hand, capturing the moments that define the Pink Bubble.

Walkers at the 2023 Susan G. Komen Denver 3-Day.

Year after year, Mike travels from his home base in San Francisco thousands of miles from one 3-Day city to the next. He is tasked with taking thousands of photos in hopes of capturing the moments that matter the most.

Along the way, he’s often invited into some of the most personal and emotional parts of the event.

“The 3-Day has really helped me understand participants’ perspectives and gain a sense of empathy for what they’re going through,” Mike said. “At Memorial Mile, people have asked me to take their photo while they are remembering a loved one. Even in the middle of a moment like that, they welcome me in.”

3-Day photographer Mike D. at the closing ceremony of the Komen 3-Day.

His journey to becoming such a trusted presence at the 3-Day didn’t start with a personal connection to breast cancer. Instead, it began with a willingness to step into something new.

“I have no personal connection to breast cancer,” Mike said. “I felt like maybe Komen should hire someone who has a deeper connection to it. But I’m grateful for whatever reason they chose me.”

Getting the Job Done

Working solo at the 3-Day, Mike walks each day alongside participants and logs close to 10 miles daily while carrying nearly 30 pounds of equipment.

“I usually have about five different lenses, two camera bodies and some external lighting just in case I need it,” he explained. “I’d honestly bring more if I could. I’m always thinking of ideas and ways to capture walkers in the best light.”

Traveling from city to city, Mike also has to be prepared for the unexpected, including lost luggage.

“I can lose all of my clothing and my toiletries and still do the job,” Mike said with a chuckle. “But everything I need like my hard drives, card readers, memory cards, cameras and lenses stay with me at all times.”

Beyond the Lens

For Mike, capturing the 3-Day is as much about logistics as it is about storytelling.

“I have to keep moving to follow the story of the day,” he said. “I’m shooting for the people who are there, for the people that don’t know the event exists and for the story itself. I’m balancing all these motivations at the same time.”

The constant movement and the emotional energy of the participants make the 3-Day unlike anything else he’s photographed.

“At the end of the event, my battery is depleted,” Mike said.” “But it’s such a blessing to be around the Pink Bubble energy. I’ve made friendships and connections at the 3-Day that just happened organically.”

Those connections are what stay with him long after the events end.

“People share their stories with me, even when they don’t have to,” Mike said. “It’s something I never take for granted, and it’s truly an honor to be at the 3-Day for them.”

3-Day photographer Mike D. poses with a survivor at the Komen 3-Day.

Since 2015, Mike has photographed more than 40 3-Day events. And what started as a freelance job has grown into something much more meaningful.

“The 3-Day has provided me the opportunity to grow,” he said. “I’m naturally an introvert, but this experience has pushed me in ways I didn’t expect. I’ve learned how to connect with people, even if it’s just in small moments.”

Mike photographs a wide range of events, including obstacle course races, 5Ks, marathons, weddings and portrait sessions. But he says there is nothing quite like the 3-Day.

For more information on the 3-Day, visit the3day.org.