Tag Archives: Tampa Bay

Tina’s Story: A 3-Day Haiku of Hope and Heartbreak

Tina S. at the 2025 Susan G. Komen 3-Day in Dallas/Fort Worth.

When Tina S. submitted her winning haiku for this month’s  3-Day contest, she wanted to capture the emotion, purpose and perspective that is deeply personal.  

“My mother is a 16-year survivor. She had two different types of breast cancer, one in each breast, at the same time,” Tina said. “It was really tough to watch. She was in so much pain, and I felt like I didn’t do enough.”

Finding the 3-Day 

Three years ago, Tina was introduced to the Susan G. Komen 3-Day® and her team, Pink Soles in Motion, by one of her best friends Nadia Martin. What began as a way to get involved quickly became something much more.

At first, she didn’t fully understand what she had signed up for. 

Tina and her best friend Nadia at the Komen 3-Day.

“Nadia told me it was 20 miles, and I know she said it was three days, but it didn’t click that it was 20 miles each day,” Tina said.  

That realization came during her first training walk. 

“Our captain asked how I felt about walking three days, and my jaw dropped,” she said. “I thought it was 20 miles total. That’s something we still laugh about.” 

Since then, Tina has completed the Dallas/Fort Worth 3-Day twice, but nothing could have prepared her for the emotional impact of the walk. 

“It was like nothing I’ve ever experienced before,” she said. “Walking alongside so many different women, all of these different stories, all of these different stages. I know what my mom went through, but this opened my eyes to so much more.” 

The Meaning Behind the 3-Day Haiku  

That emotional complexity is what inspired Tina’s winning haiku. 

Tina's winning 3-Day haiku

“It’s not all sunshine and roses. It’s not all Pink Bubble. There’s sadness and tears,” Tina said. “The first year I walked with Nadia, there was a photo taken where she’s crying. She had plantar fasciitis, and she had to stop because of the pain. She was devastated. It’s just so many emotions rolled into three days.” 

Tina said she intentionally reflected both sorrow and hope in her poem. 

“People say, ‘We walk until we find a cure,’ but the reality is more complex, and that’s what I wanted to reflect in the haiku,” she said. 

Showing Up for Others 

Tina G. and friends at the Komen 3-Day.

After two years of walking in Dallas/Fort Worth, Tina is continuing her 3-Day journey in new ways. This year, she will walk Day 3 in DFW and host a cheer station during the first two days.  

“The cheer stations are what kept me going,” she said. “Now I want to be that support for others.” 

But it’s the emotion of the 3-Day’s Closing Ceremony that continues to bring her back. 

“There were women I walked with who I knew wouldn’t be there the next year,” Tina said in tears. “That’s the hardest reality. I’m grateful my mom is a survivor, but not everyone is. That’s why I keep showing up … for those people who can’t come back.” 

Tina will also be walking the Tampa Bay 3-Day in 2027 and hopes to continue expanding her participation in the years to come. 

“I want to experience every part of the 3-Day,” she added. “I’d love to volunteer, too.” 

To learn more about the 3-Day, visit the3day.org. 

 

Join the 3-Day and Help Us End Breast Cancer

Survivor procession at the 2025 San Diego 3-Day.

Each year, the Susan G. Komen 3-Day® brings together thousands of dedicated people nationwide who are united by one shared goal: help end breast cancer.  

In the months of fundraising leading up the 3-Day, participants help raise critical funds. Since 2003, over 500,000 participants have raised more than $927 million to save lives, expand community programs, improve access to patient care and fuel groundbreaking research, therapies and treatment.  

The impact created by the 3-Day community over the years has been extraordinary, and this year we’re focused on pushing that progress even further. 

Why the 3-Day 

The 3-Day is a powerful journey that spans three unforgettable days where participants walk up to 60 miles. It’s a challenge that reflects personal commitment and collective impact, and it’s unforgettable. Along the 3-Day route, participants receive community support from residents and businesses who line the streets in appreciation. And through each step, participants share stories of survivorship, remembrance and hope for a world without breast cancer.  

Along the route of the 2025 Susan G. Komen San Diego 3-Day.

For Monica G., a newer participant of the San Diego 3-Day, walking was a way to honor the family members and friends in her life who have been diagnosed with breast cancer. She walked on her own, motivated by her desire to take action in a space that leaves many feeling helpless. 

“I can only imagine what treatment must have been like for them,” Monica shared. “I felt that the least I could do was help raise money to support the breast cancer community and challenge myself to do something meaningful. 

Ways to Participate 

In the upcoming season, Komen 3-Day events will take place in Boston (Aug. 21-23), Dallas/Fort Worth (Oct. 23-25), San Diego (Nov. 13-15) and Tampa Bay (Feb. 19-21, 2027). 

The 3-Day is flexible and inclusive of all fitness levels, with multiple distance options. While many choose the full three days and 60 miles, others choose the 1-Day (20 miles) or 2-Day (40 miles) options. 

The 2025 Dallas/Fort Worth 3-Day walkers.

From the day you register, participants are supported by a dedicated coach who provides fundraising resources, training guidance and encouragement every step of the way. 

The 3-Day is more than just a series of endurance walks. It’s an experience known to change lives and keep participants coming back year after year. 

The Pink Bubble 

At the heart of the 3-Day is the “Pink Bubble”— the energetic, creative and welcoming community of walkers, crew members and volunteers, who strive to end breast cancer with every step they take. The Pink Bubble is known for its touching pink-clad tributes honoring survivors and loved ones throughout the 3-Day weekends, and for its unwavering support, deep connection and compassion.  It’ something you must experience to truly appreciate.  

The Pink Bubble is a place where strangers become teammates, and by the time you reach the Finish Line, you’ll be moved to do it all over again. 

The 2025 Susan G. Komen Denver 3-Day.

If you’re ready to experience the Pink Bubble, we invite you to register today! We’d love to have you join us at one of our 3-Day events. 

Visit the 3-Day to learn more. 

Jacki P.’s 3-Day Story: 78 and Still Showing Up

Jacki P. at the Susan G. Komen 3-Day.

When Jacki P. was diagnosed with breast cancer in 1996, she was terrified. Today, at 78, she is a survivor who—after 20 years of participation—remains deeply committed to the Susan G. Komen 3-Day®. 

“Last year, I thought I should hang up my shoes because it’s so hard to raise fundraising dollars at my age,” Jacki said. “But when a former teammate was diagnosed with triple negative breast cancer, I realized I can’t stop. I need to do more.” 

The Mammogram That Changed Everything 

Jacki’s life changed with a routine mammogram in 1996. Shortly after the exam, she received a phone call from a breast cancer surgeon that changed everything. 

“My thoughts immediately started racing,” Jacki recalled. “Will I see my children grow up? Would I be there to attend their high school graduations and weddings, or hold my grandbabies? I was terrified.”  

At that time, most of what Jacki heard about breast cancer were the “horror stories” about being sick, scarring and pain from treatment. Jacki’s breast cancer was caught early, a fact she credits with saving her life.   

“The lump was deep,” she said. “I never would have found it on my own.” 

Jacki underwent a mastectomy and chemotherapy. In August, she celebrated her 29th year of survivorship. 

 

A New Perspective  

Jacki P. celebrating 29 years of breast cancer survivorship.

Surviving breast cancer changed how Jacki viewed life. She became more mindful of her health, more grounded in gratitude for her family and more committed to paying it forward. She said she listens more, helps where she can and still treasures every day. 

“Cancer becomes part of your soul. It never really leaves you,” Jacki said. “Even now, it brings tears to my eyes. There’s always that question in the back of my mind: ‘Will it come back?’”  

Rather than living in fear, Jacki has chosen to keep moving forward with purpose. 

20 Years of the Komen 3-Day 

Jacki first participated in the Komen 3-Day in Arizona in 2005 and later joined Team Las Bombas. In 2021, the team reached the Million Dollar Team milestone. In 2025, Jacki spoke at the Denver 3-Day and achieved her personal lifetime  goal of $50,000. But, she’s not done yet. 

“I’ve walked for 20 years, crewed four times and have met the most incredible people,” she said with a smile. “Although I am 78, I am still in very good condition.” 

Jacki P. at the Susan G. Komen San Diego 3-Day.

This year, Jacki plans to walk the San Diego 3-Day and crew in Tampa Bay. The support and connection within the 3-Day community are what keep Jacki coming back year after year. 

“There’s still work to do. That’s why I keep walking and crewing,” Jacki said. “That’s why we all keep doing the 3-Day. Until breast cancer is behind us, we’ll keep showing up.”