After yesterday's post it was obvious there were more people who wanted to post. So the following are those "extras" of 3 day walkers and crew telling you when it was they decided to walk and why...
Debbie: I've crewed TB since 2008 and decided to walk my first in 2012. It's intimidating for sure, but I'm committed. I originally became involved in support of my daughter who was diagnosed with late stage IDC at 28 yrs old. Since then there have been several in my extended circle of friends who have been diagnosed, some of whom have lost their battle. We can't heal them personally but we can sure do something to help find a cure and for me, this is it.
Lida: When I went to the closing ceremonies in DC to support my friend Kim who was walking for our friend Michelle who had recently died. I knew I couldn't physically walk it, but signed up for the motocrew and have been on it ever since. 
Jill: I crewed in 2010 in memory of my aunt who lost her battle that year. After supporting all of the amazing walkers and hearing their stories of survival and loss, I knew I had to walk in 2011 - if they could do it, so could I!
Terri: I have always been affected by the commercials and would think that is something that I would like to do...Then, I became a survivor and I knew it was something I needed to do. I walked my first 3Day in 2010 and now can not imagine not doing the 3day. 2012 I will be walking my 3rd walk, in October and celebrating my 5 years of being a survivor during the walk.
David: I first began thinking about it the first time I heard about it on the Cleveland airwaves, but didn't get the courage to sign up until March 6, 2010 (Yes, I remember the date!) I wanted to surprise my dear friend Nancy who I had known since kindergarten. At the time she was a nine-year survivor. I had walked with her and her family in four previous Cleveland Race for the Cures and wanted to do something much bigger and bolder. It took me 16 days to raise the $2,300 and I surprised her at lunch shortly after. I walked Cleveland in July 2010 and did one more Race with her six weeks later. Sadly, she took her final turn shortly after and died on March 24, 2011. I dedicated my two 2011 3-Days to her memory...but now also walk for all the Survivors I've come to know since. This year, I plan to walk Cleveland, Philadelphia, and Dallas. I'd better get after it!
Sherri: I lost my mother in 1996 after a long battle with breast cancer. I'm not sure when I first heard about the 3Day, but I had been wanting to do it for a long time. I posted on my Facebook in October 2010 about how much I missed my Mom and how I always wanted to do the 3 day walk. 5 minutes later my cousin posted that she would do it with me.... 2 minutes later my sister posted "me too, I'm in!". The next day my brother-in-law said he wanted to walk also! Our 4 person team raised over $11300.00 and walked Philadelphia in 2011! Our team is signed up again for 2012 with 9 walkers and 2 crew! (and a future team mate who can't wait until 2013 when she will be old enough to walk!). I never imagined when I made that post on Facebook in 2010....... :)
Jessica: In 2005 my future Mother in Law went to Atlanta & was doing this thing called the 3day with her sister & for her sister a 3 time survivor, she told me about it, but I had just had a baby & didn't realize how awesome it was, then in 2007 they did it again!!! I needed to learn more about it, Fast Forward to 2009 & to the Central FL Race for the Cure, the first breast cancer event I had ever been apart of it was a "family tradition" to walk in the race for the cure for Aunt Beverly...& I fell in love w/ atmosphere & after 2 years of saying maybe one day I will walk, I went home & signed up for the 2010 Tampa 3day event, I was then able to convince my sister to walk Boston 2011 where we weren't able to make the fundraising minimum, but we went & cheered driving from FL to VT then to Boston to just be apart of that amazing atmosphere, we are now ready for Tampa 2012!!!!!!!!! Where we will be walking for friends newly diagnosed & for our daughters 6 & 1, our nieces 12 & 15 b/c we don't have any family history of it & want to keep it that way!!!! :)
Kathy: I knew way too many women with breast cancer but was mostly closely touched by my mother-in-law, Polly, who lived with us for almost a year through chemo/mastectomies/chemo then, unfortunately, back with us 6 years later for hospice care. She died in our library with my husband and I by here side. She did get 6 extra years that she would not have gotten without aggressive treatment. Also, my friend, Marilyn, had died of breast cancer before her 40th birthday. She was my "tramp through Europe" friend and touched so many lives in her too short of a life. She was teaching through example all of her life and sometimes by just telling it like it was... She just didn't get enough extra years. Anyway, fast forward to January of 2011 and I was celebrating successful back surgery and decided I wanted to do something that would be a physical challenge but would contribute to a cause I could believe in. DC 11' was a perfect fit.
Staci: The very first time I ever saw a commercial for the 3-Day was in February 2010. I knew immediately that it was something I wanted to get involved in and be a part of because my Grandma had been battling breast cancer for two and a half years, not to mention all the others I knew who had been affected. I registered for the event and was able to tell my Grandma all about it, and she couldn't have been more proud... she even donated. :) When I registered, my family was unaware of the severity of my Grandma's cancer, and she passed away just two short months later on April 19, 2010. To this day, that day in February is the one and ONLY time I have ever seen a commercial for this event, and I know it was all part of God's plan. I was absolutely broken when I lost my Grandma. She was my best friend and the person I always turned to for whatever reason, good or bad. Losing her left such a void in my heart that I know will never be completely filled, but God leading me to the 3-Day and to all of YOU has filled part of the void in such a way that I will never be able to fully express my gratitude. When I stepped foot on event for the very first time, I knew immediately that I wasn't just there for my Grandma and all the others I knew who had been affected. I was also there for all of YOU and your reasons for being there also. You are all amazing, special, and unique in your own way, and this cause has such a great sense of unity that it's almost overwhelming. Thank you from me, and from my Grandmother, for all each of you do in the fight to end breast cancer. ♥
Stephanie: I decided to walk in January 2011 when I saw a commerical on tv. I decided I would walk if I could raise the money. At the time I didn't have any family members so I was doing it to honor my best friends mom who is a 7 year survior. In March of 2011 my aunt was dignosed with breast cancer which gave me another reason to walk :0Me: When I participated in the survivor circle last year one of the many over whelming emotions that struck me as I stood there looking out was just how many stories there were surrounding me. I make a very very purposeful promise to myself to be really present so I could take it in, all of it. And that was what hit me most.
I looked at as many faces as I could. Some faces were tear-streamed, some just full of hope, some were full of sadness for the loses they had suffered. Without exception you felt as if you tapped one of these people on the shoulder and asked them about why they were walking in the Susan G Komen 3 day, there would be a story worthy of telling.
This simple question is just scratching the surface. This year I hope to spotlight some of the walkers and tell "the rest of the story". Of course you will always hear my story... but Breast Cancer is not just about me. It is about 1 in 8 women in the United States. It is about the people who love those people. It is about the children who have been left behind. It is about how something so devastating can create an ARMY of Pink warriors and how they have created something incredible.
People sometime say to me Susan G Komen is too big. They are right. It is. Because it has been built on the backs of people who have suffered, or who have known people who have suffered because of Breast Cancer, and there are just one heck of a lot of those. There is not one person who walks who doesn't believe in the day that there will be no more Breast Cancer. But until it comes we will walk. Until this comes, we will raise funds to find a cure. But once we do, there will be such as celebration. We will be celebrating the achievement of the goal of Susan G Komen. A world without Breast Cancer.
YOU can be a part of that day. Walk, Crew, Donate. Take YOUR first step and join us.
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