This year, I made a deeply personal decision: to step away from my career and focus on things that challenge me, ground me, and speak to my purpose. One of those things is walking 60 miles over 3 days in the Susan G. Komen 3-Day Walk in San Diego, November 14–16, to raise funds and awareness for breast cancer.

For nearly 20 years, I’ve worked in public health. I’ve seen the impact of cancer not just in statistics and reports, but in the lives of people I love. I’ve cried with friends who lost their mothers. I’ve breathed a sigh of relief when friends went into remission. I’ve witnessed the quiet strength it takes to fight this disease, and the heartbreak it leaves behind.

And now, in a time when cancer research funding is being cut, when the public health infrastructure is under immense strain, and when people are slipping through the cracks, we need action more than ever. This is a public health crisis, and I won't stand still.

I’m walking with friends in a group we’ve named the Hakuna Ma-Tatas, inspired by my friend Becca Simonitsch, who tragically lost her mother, Nancy, in 2022 to this dreadful cancer. Additionally, one of my lifelong friends’ mothers, Kathy—who went into remission twice—also holds a special place in my heart. When I was 12, she helped save my life during a serious choking incident. I am forever grateful to her. And I walk for former colleagues who have bravely made it through remission as well.

So, I’m walking for the mothers, daughters, sisters, friends, and strangers, for the ones we've lost and the ones still fighting. And I would be truly grateful for your support.

To participate for the full three days, I must raise at least $2,300, which supports life-saving research, community health programs, and patient support services. Your support powers this effort, both the walk and the cause it represents.

I was hesitant to participate because I remember Susan G. Komen’s controversies. Critics have long raised concerns about the organization’s past lack of transparency, its controversial decision to defund Planned Parenthood in 2012, and its historically low research funding ratios compared to other nonprofits. But in 2012, after facing significant public backlash and pressure from donors and political leaders, Komen reversed its decision and reinstated funding for Planned Parenthood screenings, demonstrating responsiveness and a willingness to change.

Since then, the organization has made meaningful improvements by centralizing operations, expanding patient support services, and increasing investment in breast cancer research, including a $10.8 million grant awarded this year alone.  Please visit https://www.charitynavigator.org, a site that evaluates charities based on their financial health, accountability, and transparency. 

These changes gave me the confidence to move forward, knowing that the funds we raise are now making a greater impact where it matters most.

If you’re able, please consider donating to my walk. Walk with me in spirit. Let’s stand together, for hope, for health, and for every woman’s future.

With sincere gratitude,
Shar