Cookie Lady: Baking Her Way Through Cancer

If you’ve walked the Susan G. Komen San Diego 3-Day, you are probably familiar with the beloved Marla R., otherwise known as “Cookie Lady”. Since 2011, she has shown up to pit stop 4 on Day 2 of the Komen San Diego 3-Day with thousands of cookies as a pick-me-up for all the courageous walkers. A former walker and breast cancer survivor herself, Marla understands first-hand how important it is to have support along the way. After three years of missing the event due to COVID-19 and personal health concerns, the “Cookie Lady” made her triumphant return to the 3-Day® amid her own cancer treatment in 2023.

In early 2003, Marla started seeing commercials for the 3-Day and set out to walk in honor of her mom, a breast cancer survivor. While training and fundraising, Marla went for her first mammogram and was ultimately diagnosed with breast cancer. “My world turned upside down as I navigated the world of cancer and was still trying to get ready for the [3-Day]. I had a lumpectomy just three weeks before the walk, wrecking the end of my training schedule,” she shared. Despite the challenges she was facing, Marla completed 49 of the 60 miles at the 2003 3-Day, a grueling experience which she thought she would never partake in again.

However, after two months of breast cancer treatment and enduring recovery, she realized that as difficult as the 3-Day was, cancer treatment was far more difficult, so walking was the least she could do. From then on, Marla walked in the 3-Day annually, building a team along the way. Together, they walked in both San Diego and San Francisco before embarking on their final 60 miles in 2010. However, her team, including Dany G. and Karen C., decided that they still needed to be a part of the 3-Day, and what better way than taking on the role of Cookie Ladies. “That’s exactly what we’ve done. We have built up the Cookie Lady role to what it is now. We bring thousands of homemade cookies of all types, including gluten-free and vegan, along with several types of ice-cold milk.”

Due to COVID-19, Marla and her team took 2020 and 2021 off, with their eyes set on returning the following year in 2022. Unfortunately, in May of 2022 Marla was once again diagnosed with cancer, this time stage 4 colorectal cancer. Her treatment began in July and as the weeks passed, she realized that the chemotherapy was far too tough on her body to organize and bake for the 2022 3-Day. With that realization, she was beyond disappointed that she and the other Cookie Ladies would be missing once again.

“I continued my treatment and as 2023 summer approached, I found myself in a place in my treatment regimen that I thought I might be able to step back into the lead Cookie Lady role… I let [Coach] Staci know I was battling cancer and headed to major surgery with hopes I’d be cancer-free and ready to roll,” Marla opened up. “While my surgery was a success, it was a short-lived one. At my 8-week check-up on my liver there were now eight new tumors, and I was heading back to chemo every two weeks for the next three months.” Despite all of this, Marla was still committed to supporting the 2023 San Diego 3-Day, so out went the sign-ups in early October and the volunteer bakers rolled in. “At least I could bake less than my usual 100 dozen cookies,” she joked.

As the date drew closer, she spoke to her oncologist about the option for extra fluids following the chemo that would end the day before Day 2, when they typically set up their table. Her doctor was intrigued and felt how important it was for Marla to attend, so he moved her chemo from before the 3-Day to the following Monday. Marla described this as a blessing, giving her a bit more strength to get through Friday for preparation and Saturday when they provide cookies to walkers. This year Marla reflected on how she spent more time out front talking with walkers than behind the table. “My heart was filled with happiness and joy for two reasons; the joy of the walkers being thrilled with our return and [the fact that] I was there despite my own cancer battle.”

The unstoppable Cookie Ladies showed up this year with over 3,500 homemade cookies, baked by themselves and volunteers. To gather these tasty treats, they put out a message on Facebook with a simple sign-up form and a little story of the 3-Day and asked around at work if anyone would like to participate. This year, they had 45 bakers donate homemade cookies which they gathered throughout the week leading up to the event. Each volunteer donated 3–4 dozen cookies either from scratch or premade dough. The only rule was that they must be baked with love at home. They provided all sorts of sweets including gluten free, vegan and nut free options accompanied by various milks such as dairy, almond, and oat.

Ultimately, their mission is to provide a pick-me-up for every walker to help get them through Day 2, a notoriously difficult stretch of the 3-Day. Over the years, they’ve been accompanied by Dany’s daughter Isabella R. and “Cookie Dude” Alan S. This year, Marla’s friend Laurie A. joined to experience the Pink Bubble for the first time and to ensure that Marla could physically manage the day amid her treatment.

For years, she’s described the Pink Bubble as “filled with love, hope, tears of joy and tears of sadness but it surrounds you with love. You’ll laugh, you’ll cry, you’ll have an experience you never imagined having. You will meet new friends and grow closer to those you already know.” As a breast cancer survivor currently fighting colorectal cancer, she is passionate about raising money to fund research to get us closer to the cures.

For those interested in participating in the 3-Day, she says that the event is life-changing and that there are resources to help you with training and fundraising. The best fundraising advice she’s ever received is if you don’t ask, then the answer is always no, but if you do ask, the answer might be yes. This mindset has translated to countless aspects of her life and is just another way that the 3-Day has impacted her. Marla and the rest of the Cookie Ladies are set to return to the San Diego 3-Day in 2024, stating “it’s part of us and we realized just how much we missed it after our short absence… I plan to return as long as there is a 3-Day. It is a part of my heart and soul.”

Have you met Marla and the rest of the Cookie Ladies?

2019 San Diego 3-Day Wrap-Up

We could not have asked for a better weekend to finish up our 3-Days for 2019! The West Coast brought sunshine, perfect walking temperatures and tons of community support to the San Diego 3-Day this past weekend.

Friday dawned bright and cool as we started our walk at the Del Mar Fairgrounds once again. CEO of Susan G. Komen, Paula Schneider, and our Bank of America partners, delivered inspiring speeches before introducing local participants to lead our Opening Ceremony. Survivors and those living with metastatic breast cancer led our walkers out into the sun and onto the route.

The start of Day One took walkers through the city of Del Mar, which always comes out in full force to support the 3-Day. Cheerleaders, local businesses and even the Toast Lady lined the streets to cheer walkers through their first few miles of the day.

After Del Mar, walkers made their way up and down the hills of Torrey Pines State Natural Reserve. With amazing views of the ocean, this reserve is always a favorite for photos and was lined with cheerleaders and well-wishers. From there, we made our way through the University of California San Diego campus and on to our lunch site at Kellogg Park.

Once again, walkers were beach side, and they enjoyed relaxing in the sunshine! We also met our San Diego 3-Day Youth Corps, who gave us a preview of their Honor Ceremony speeches. We left lunch inspired and ready to take on the afternoon. Walkers then made their way through La Jolla before coming home to our campsite at Crown Point Shores. The sun set as our last walkers came home, and our 3-Day family was complete at the end of Day One.

Day Two began with our Bank of America Breakfast of Champions, where we honored top San Diego 3-Day fundraisers, as well as our Milestone and Local Impact Award Winners. It was such a fun and celebratory way to start Saturday!

From there, walkers made their way through San Diego with stops at Ocean Beach and Robb Field before we came to lunch at Bonita Cove. It was a sunny and spacious spot for our Halfway Celebration! Mark led everyone through our final halfway dance for the year, and then the San Diego Police Department led in further celebratory dances before lunch closed.

Saturday afternoon passed quickly, and soon our walkers were back at camp at Crown Point Shores. Our last walker kicked off our final Honor Ceremony for 2019. This ceremony honors all of the reasons we commit to this cause, including members of our San Diego community, survivors and those living with metastatic breast cancer. We then raised candles to the night and renewed our promise to continue to walk, and fight, for the cures for breast cancer.

On our final day of the walk, we said goodbye to our beautiful campsite and spent the day walking through downtown San Diego. From Mission Beach Park and Bonita Cove to a cheering station at Sea World, walkers had plenty of time to enjoy the California sun and surf. Right before lunch, walkers conquered the infamous Juan Street Hill! More community support cheered everyone up the hill, and everyone made it to the top with smiles and hearts full of accomplishment!

Then we had a quick lunch stop before finishing our 60-mile journey at Waterfront Park. Our finish line festival was quite the celebration, complete with live music, games, and medals from Bank of America.

And then our 2019 3-Day season ended with an amazing Closing Ceremony, complete with one final dance party as the sun set on the West Coast. Our 1,900 walkers and 325 crew members had a lot to celebrate: they had raised $5.7 million in the fight against breast cancer!

San Diego, you and your community were amazing hosts for our final 3-Day of the year! Thank you all for your support and love and dedication to our cause. We can’t wait to see you in 2020!

Congratulations to the 2019 San Diego 3-Day Local Impact Award Winner, Trish Taylor

For the 2019 Susan G. Komen 3-Day® season, we’re pleased to be continuing the Local Impact Award. This award is being given to participants who have been instrumental in strengthening the 3-Day® community throughout the year. Local Impact Award honorees have gone above and beyond in their efforts leading training walks, attending 3-Day community events, supporting the 3-Day staff year-round at meet-ups and workshops, and in general, making a difference by building lasting relationships and showing commitment to the 3-Day in all they do.

Please join us in congratulating the 2019 San Diego 3-Day Local Impact Award Winner, Trish Taylor!

Teammate Corinne Faust, knows Trish well, and can think of no one more deserving for this award.

“I have known Trish for 16 years and have become very close with her. The hardest year we shared was when she was diagnosed with breast cancer. She was devastated and scared, but Trish is a fighter; she stood up, put her gloves on and has been fighting the good fight ever since. She has put together so many fundraisers and has been our team captain and go-to girl for the MOR Furniture team over the years. Every year I look forward to our walk together.”

We were so honored to learn a little more about Trish…from Trish herself! When she answered these questions, she didn’t know she’d be our 2019 San Diego Local Impact Award Winner…

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

In Spring of 2012, my mother was diagnosed with breast cancer at the age of 65. I knew that I immediately wanted to play my part in helping to raise awareness of this disease and help to find a cure. I was fortunate in the fact that our President and CEO of Mor Furniture had been wanting to do this walk for some time and just needed the little push to get us out there. My teammates and I began training for our first 3-Day. During our training, I was diagnosed with breast cancer and completed the walk in 2012 knowing that in three weeks from the walk I would be going in for surgery and treatment myself.

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

I continue to come back year after year, this will be my 8th consecutive walk, to honor the loss of my mother due to breast cancer and continue to raise awareness and funds in hopes that others will not go through the tragedy of losing their mother so young in life like I did. I do this walk also for my two older sisters, my niece and nephews in hopes that they will not have to go through this fight like I did.

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

I am very fortunate with my fundraising. Although I receive a lot of support from family and friends, the true support comes from within Mor Furniture and our furniture representatives and vendors. We annually distribute a donation request letter to our furniture representatives and vendors along with hosting an annual Casino Night fundraiser at the home of the president of Mor Furniture.

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

Training, good tennis shoes and even better socks! Change into fresh socks at lunch time to give your feet a new boost!! Make friends while on the walk as there are a lot of great people out there.