In November, Julie Njaa, business development manager at the Carlsbad Chamber of Commerce, and Bev Jorgensen, the chamber's director of corporate relations and member services, participated in the Breast Cancer 3-Day.
Njaa's team, 3-Day Street Walkers, and Jorgensen's team, Ramona Country Milers, together raised a total of more than $68,000 to benefit Susan G. Komen for the Cure and the National Philanthropic Trust Breast Cancer Fund. The teams began training together in April and were able to complete the 60-mile walk from Del Mar to San Diego.
The walk included approximately 4,600 participants who raised a total of $12.3 million to help find a cure for breast cancer.
Jorgensen walked the 3-Day for the first time in 2004, which was a year after her mother was diagnosed with breast cancer and treated with chemotherapy and radiation.
“After witnessing her suffering and what no person should have to endure, I decided to walk in her honor and for the rest of the world,” Jorgensen said.
Her mom later died and the one-year anniversary of her death fell on the exact date this 3-Day started, which was Nov. 9.
“It seemed appropriate to walk in her memory. Every step along the 60-mile journey brought a great memory of my precious mother to mind. I enjoyed sharing those memories with fellow walkers along the way,” Jorgensen said. “My team made a special pink ribbon pin with a dove in honor of my mom, which three teams from Ramona wore, and I handed out the rest as I met walkers along the journey.”
Committing to walk the 3-Day is huge as it takes many hours of training each week. Jorgensen's team did several back-to-back 18-mile training walks so they would know what it was like to walk that many miles and then get up early the next day and do it again.
“When I finished the 3-Day this year, I felt as if my mom was crossing the finish line with me,” Jorgensen said. “Watching others who also crossed with tears streaming down their face made me more determined than ever to walk again next year in hopes that a cure will soon be found.”
Njaa's team, 3-Day Street Walkers, and Jorgensen's team, Ramona Country Milers, together raised a total of more than $68,000 to benefit Susan G. Komen for the Cure and the National Philanthropic Trust Breast Cancer Fund. The teams began training together in April and were able to complete the 60-mile walk from Del Mar to San Diego.
The walk included approximately 4,600 participants who raised a total of $12.3 million to help find a cure for breast cancer.
Jorgensen walked the 3-Day for the first time in 2004, which was a year after her mother was diagnosed with breast cancer and treated with chemotherapy and radiation.
“After witnessing her suffering and what no person should have to endure, I decided to walk in her honor and for the rest of the world,” Jorgensen said.
Her mom later died and the one-year anniversary of her death fell on the exact date this 3-Day started, which was Nov. 9.
“It seemed appropriate to walk in her memory. Every step along the 60-mile journey brought a great memory of my precious mother to mind. I enjoyed sharing those memories with fellow walkers along the way,” Jorgensen said. “My team made a special pink ribbon pin with a dove in honor of my mom, which three teams from Ramona wore, and I handed out the rest as I met walkers along the journey.”
Committing to walk the 3-Day is huge as it takes many hours of training each week. Jorgensen's team did several back-to-back 18-mile training walks so they would know what it was like to walk that many miles and then get up early the next day and do it again.
“When I finished the 3-Day this year, I felt as if my mom was crossing the finish line with me,” Jorgensen said. “Watching others who also crossed with tears streaming down their face made me more determined than ever to walk again next year in hopes that a cure will soon be found.”