Tag Archives: The 3-Day

How the MORE THAN PINK Walk Led Me to the 3-Day

Nisha Jaime and her team, "The Fight Club," at the MORE THAN PINK Walk in Los Angeles October 2023.

Nisha Jaime and her team, The Fight Club, at the MORE THAN PINK Walk in Los Angeles October 2023.

When I was diagnosed with HER2-positive invasive ductal carcinoma in 2022, I couldn’t help but cry—a lot. At 42, I was a busy mama of three, including twin boys, age 7, and a 4-year-old little girl recovering from her third open-heart surgery. The shock and sadness were overwhelming, but once I started to process my diagnosis I turned to social media for support. I wanted to find others who had been through what I was about to face, and who I could draw strength from. That’s when I found Susan G. Komen®.  

Through social media posts, I found information about Komen’s MORE THAN PINK Walk® in Los Angeles, happening that fall, just months after my diagnosis. I remember telling myself: “Once I get better, I am going to do it.” And that’s exactly what I did.  

The following year, I signed up, recruited a team of more than 50 members (made up of my family and closest friends) and we raised more than $5,100. The walk was inspiring and beautiful. But when it ended, I wished it could have been longer. I felt like there was more to experience, more to give. I felt such a connection with the Komen community, that I wanted to do more. I signed up for the MORE THAN PINK Walk again last year as a participant and a volunteer. It was as rewarding as my first walk, but again I wanted more time to meet more people and hear more inspiring stories of hope and resilience. 

Then, last fall, I found out about the Susan G. Komen 3-Day®. I saw posts from participants on social media who walked the 60-mile journey, and I found their online videos of the Pink Bubble to be so full of support and strength. I was inspired. I knew right away that the 3-Day was exactly what I had been searching for. The 3-Day would give me more time with others who understand this journey, and it would give me an opportunity to do my part in helping end breast cancer. 

So, this year, I signed up for the San Diego 3-Day. My fundraising and training are just getting started, but I’m committed. I currently walk two miles a day and I’ve been sharing my story on social media to help me reach my fundraising goal. I also have plans to host some garage sales in the spring and a lemonade stand with my children to get closer to my goal while spending time with my family.  

While I plan to walk the entire 60 miles, I will be giving myself some grace at the 3-Day. I’m in my first year of survivorship and for me, every step is a win. I am so excited to experience the Pink Bubble firsthand and meet more survivors like me. The fear that comes after a breast cancer diagnosis has been overwhelming at times, but I know the 3-Day will be a safe, supportive space and I can’t wait for November to be here so I can head out to San Diego.  

A lot of my friends have asked me why I want to take on such a big challenge so soon after being diagnosed. This is what I tell them: “I want to remind myself of everything I have overcome with chemotherapy, surgeries and radiation. I want to honor my loved ones I have lost to breast cancer. And I want to do whatever I can to help minimize the impact of breast cancer.”  

And then, I invite them to join me at the 3-Day.  

Whether you walk, volunteer or donate, I hope you’ll join me too.  

Visit the 3-Day to register and learn more. 

Cold Weather Fundraising Tips

A participant at the San Diego 3-Day

With the colder months upon us, there are still a lot of ways to fundraise for the Susan G. Komen 3-Day® event without leaving the comfort of your home! Whether you’re hosting a movie night with family and friends or sharing a fundraising update via email or social media while you’re cozied up on your couch, your efforts will make an impact.

Here are a few ideas to get you started:

Birthday: In lieu of a gift for your birthday, ask your friends and family on Facebook to make a donation to your 3-Day fundraising efforts.

Email Chain: Ask everyone to forward your fundraising email to 10 more people!

Profile Photos: Change your Facebook profile or cover photo to a 3-Day image. Get one at The3Day.org/Logos or pull it from our 3-Day Facebook page. Then ask for donations in your status updates!

Facebook App: Boost your fundraising efforts and promote your participation in the 3-Day by fundraising with Facebook. Add the 3-Day Facebook app to your Facebook page and use it to post regularly. Your posts will automatically include a link directly to your fundraising page.

Corporate Matching: Ask your company if they have a Corporate Matching Program and take advantage of that if you can. Search our database to see if your company offers a matching gifts program. Many of your donors may also work for companies that have a program like this, so their donation could double simply by filling out a form from their human resources department and following the steps to submit a matching gift. Remind them to check with their company as well!

Corporate Sponsor Shirt: Identify one corporate sponsor that you can ask for a large donation. Offer to wear their shirt for advertising while training and on the event.

Winter Movie Night: Organize a movie night with your favorite and encourage attendees to bring their coziest blankets and pajamas. Sell tickets for entry and offer concessions like popcorn, hot cocoa and other snacks.

Ask your neighbors: Write a note to all of the neighbors on your block or in your apartment building to ask for donations. Include an update on your training and fundraising progress.

We hope these fundraising ideas help you reach your goal! Stay motivated, and remember, every donation brings us one step closer to a world without breast cancer.

Don’t forget! We also have a long list of year-round strategies in our 101 Fundraising Ideas!

 

 

 

 

How Breast Cancer Research Changed a 3-Day Coach’s Life

Ann Vondriska

Ann Vondriska is a breast cancer survivor and coach for the Susan G. Komen 3-Day.

Terrifying. That’s how Ann Vondriska described the seven weeks it took for doctors to diagnose her with breast cancer after she discovered a swollen lymph node in 2006. 

“It was terror while I waited for the results,” recalled Ann, who was 49 at the time and a mother to three children. “I did all sorts of testing. First, they thought it was brain cancer, then ovarian, thyroid, uterine, pancreatic. It was a nightmare.” 

Eventually, the diagnosis was clear. It was breast cancer. Ann endured 16 rounds of chemotherapy, breast surgery and radiation over the course of a year and a half. She was also set to receive 40 more rounds of chemotherapy. But then, a call from her oncologist brought good news. Thanks to research funded by Susan G. Komen at the University of Michigan, a new treatment plan was developed for her type of breast cancer.  

The new regimen meant fewer treatments. Ann now needed just one chemotherapy infusion every three weeks, cutting her original treatment schedule from 40 rounds to 14.   

“It literally changed my life,” Ann said. “I had kids at home. My daughter was 8 at the time, and there was so much involved every time I had to leave the house for chemo. It was the driving there, the parking, sitting in the chair, getting hooked up to the IV and looking at everyone around you. It was a lot.”  

Ann Vondriska and her daughter

Ann and her daughter, Elizabeth, at the Susan G. Komen 3-Day in Chicago.

Ann took another step forward in her journey in 2010 when a friend formed a team to walk in the Susan G. Komen 3-Day® in her honor. “It was one of the most humbling moments of my life,” she said. The following year, Ann and her daughter, Elizabeth, joined the 3-Day themselves, and Ann didn’t look back. 

Now, she’s a coach for 3-Day walkers and is dedicated to mentoring them though training for the walk, giving advice on fundraising strategies and encouraging them along the way. 

Ann says being a part of the 3-Day is more than just walking—it’s about helping to support people who are navigating their own path through breast cancer and supporting the very research that saved her life. 

“My job now is to pay it forward,” Ann said. “For the rest of my life I am going to fundraise, coach and support the 3-Day and Komen because it changed my life.”  

The 2025 Komen 3-Day events will be held in Denver (Aug. 1-3), New England (Aug. 15-17), Dallas/Fort Worth (Oct.24-26) and San Diego (Nov. 14-16). 

To register for one of the 3-Day events, visit the 3-Day.

Statements and opinions expressed are that of the individual and do not express the views or opinions of Susan G. Komen. This information is being provided for educational purposes only and is not to be construed as medical advice. Persons with breast cancer should consult their health care provider with specific questions or concerns about their treatment.