The value of breast cancer awareness cannot be over-emphasized and the 3 day breast cancer walk is one of the most popular ways of raising this awareness. The breast cancer 3-day is a 60-mile walk that was started, and continues to be, an avenue to raise funds for breast cancer awareness, education, community health programs and money for breast cancer research. All participants in the event are people who are committed to fundraising, training and giving 3 days of their year to the event. Each participant of the 3 day breast cancer walk is required to raise a minimum of $2,300 and to walk about 20 miles each day. The participant must be sixteen and above and those who are not must be accompanied. An impressive 400,000,000 has been raised so far and eighty five percent of the money goes to Susan G. Komen for the Cure and the rest goes to the National Philanthropic Trust Breast Cancer Fund. By 2010, the name is expected to change to Susan G. Komen 3-Day for the Cure and this organization will be the sole beneficiary.

This is the best known and the most effective walk to raise awareness on cancer, but we have other breast cancer walks that serve the same purpose. One reason why breast cancer awareness is so important is that people continue to walk into hospitals with cancer that has progressed beyond the curable stage. This is complete ignorance because many governments and hospitals, thanks to pressure from non-governmental organizations such as Susan G. Komen for the Cure, have invested in mammograms and the personnel to go breast cancer screenings. The service is very cheap and in some cases, it is even free of charge. People should be educated about this and other things and more money should be invested in research.

When people attend the breast cancer 3 day walk and during the whole breast cancer awareness month, organizations that do not have policies supporting breast cancer awareness and drug companies selling expensive breast cancer chemotherapy drugs and other drugs are put on the spot. This has led to cheaper breast cancer chemotherapy drugs and more awareness and support in the work place.

Another reason to walk for breast cancer is that it makes people remember their loved ones that they may have lost through breast cancer. This is important for the healing process. It is also the time that the world shows compassion for those who have breast cancer and their lives are enriched by the walk, both directly in terms of money raised and indirectly, meaning psychologically and emotionally.

Ribbons and bracelets of other colors are now used for raising awareness of other diseases such as red for AIDS. Different walks such as the 3 day breast cancer walk is a good tradition and it brings out the best in human beings.