Family & Friends - I will be participating in my 4th Susan G Komen 3-Day Walk on August 15th-17th in the beautiful city of Boston.  Over the course of 3 days I will walk over 60 miles with hundreds of women and men raising money to find a cure for breast cancer.

I walk in memory of the grandmother I never met, Helen Henderson, who lost her battle to this horrible disease in 1985 at the age of 46.  

I also walk in honor of my mom, Lynny Ford, who was diagnosed in 2020, at the age of 55, with stage 0 breast cancer and is now a survivor.  She will be participating in her 18th walk and I am so excited to be by her side.  My mom is a huge advocate for women, men and families who are battling breast cancer, and currently sits on the board of trustees and serves as a Patient Experience Manager for Helen's Angels, the foundation my aunt Missy Quinn founded in memory of my grandmother. 

This year I will be walking in support of our friend, Kathy Coleman who was diagnosed in February 2025, with ER-, PR-, HER2+ breast cancer. She will complete 12 chemotherapy sessions in July, followed by radiation in August and will continue her targeted therapy though May 2026. My mom met Kathy in 2014 during the Philly walk.  They were both solo walkers who became fast friends, kept in touch and would continue to walk in the 3day in many different cities.  In 2022, I met Kathy and her husband Joe, who is part of safety, in Boston, and she was so welcoming.  Kathy is one of the strongest women I know and is determined to walk with us in Boston even if it's only a few miles a day.  She said that training has kept her strong, both physically and mentally, and helps her face treatments with resilience and hope.

I am excited to be walking again in Boston.  This year our friend Maureen O'Tormey will be joining us as a first time walker.  Maureen has been my mom's training buddy for many years and has not only been a huge supporter but our biggest cheerleader. 

I hope I can count on your support again.  Please check with your employer regarding matching gifts.  After you make your donation, mail your matching gift form along with a copy of your Komen 3-Day donation receipt to:  Susan G Komen 3-Day, PO Box 660843, Dallas, TX  75266-0843.  For online matching gift instructions, please visit " The3day.org/Matching.  You can reference my name, JJ Ford, Participant ID 8151852, Event ID 2322

And don't forget to keep texting, emailing and calling to check-in...positive vibes are a huge plus and help us push thru.

JJ Ford