[00:00:00] Adam Walker: This podcast is brought to you by Nature’s Bounty, with a longstanding commitment to supporting women’s health and wellness, Nature’s Bounty is proud to partner with Susan G Komen in the Fight to End Breast Cancer.
[00:00:18] From Susan G Komen, this is Real Pink, a podcast exploring real stories, struggles, and triumphs related to breast cancer. We’re taking the conversation from the doctor’s office to your living room.
[00:00:33] As we kick off National Breast Cancer Awareness Month with eyes and ears on the breast cancer community, we’re highlighting one of our passionate Komen donors to talk about why she chooses to support Susan G Komen. Robin Eggert Elm is a longtime three day supporter. She first started walking with her mom and sister in 2002, and now walks yearly with an ever-growing team of family and friends.
[00:00:59] Robin has spent more than 20 years in the healthcare industry and has worked with more than 100 mission-driven not-for-profit organizations, including health systems and service providers, senior housing and Catholic women religious congregations. Robin is truly passionate about walking as long as she can to continue fighting for a cure.
[00:01:22] Today she’s here to tell us about why she chooses to partner with Komen in this fight. Robin, welcome to the show.
[00:01:30] Robin Elm: Thank you.
[00:01:31] Adam Walker: Well, I’m so glad to get to talk to you. This is gonna be a really interesting I don’t know that I’ve ever gotten to talk to somebody from this perspective before, so I’m really looking forward to it.
[00:01:40] So let’s start off with your passion for three day. I understand you’re a long time, three day participant, Komen supporter. How did you first get introduced to that and involved in the three day event?
[00:01:54] Robin Elm: It was my mother, so it was totally atypical for her. While she was extremely physically active, did a lot of different things she had friends who did a walk in Chicago and she decided on her 60th birthday, she was gonna walk 60 miles and raise 6,000.
[00:02:18] Wow. And again, my mom is like first time she ever fundraised for anything and she did it. She raised over 6,000. Wow. And she walked with my aunt, who was like my mother, my second mother. And they walked together. And when we watched them across the finish line. We were just so touched. We were there waiting and saw all the other walkers as they walked across, you know, tears were streaming down our face.
[00:02:51] We were filled with family pride and it was everybody from my brother’s, you know, triplets to, you know, grandparents. So it was truly special.
[00:03:01] Adam Walker: So you all came out to the finish line to kind of cheer her on. Man. That’s amazing. I love that. Okay. No. So tell me like that’s how you got into, and then I assume you got into it later on.
[00:03:14] What happened next?
[00:03:16] Robin Elm: So then so she had done, and I don’t know if I’m supposed to say this, but she did when it was Avon, when Avon had the three day. She did that in Chicago. And then my sister and I did our first walk was in New York City. It was the last Avon walk. And it was the one year anniversary of 9/11.
[00:03:43] And there were 10,000 walkers. I believe. Everybody had goosebumps. Everybody there since they were from the northeast, had a 9/11 story. And, so seeing that in addition to breast cancer was extremely humbling. The first day it poured before opening ceremony. It poured all day long.
[00:04:13] They couldn’t set up camp because it was torrential downpour. So they bussed us to gyms. And my mom had already made all these friends along the walk. Right, right. And so, and people would be like, where’s your mom? And we sent her in to get like the prime spot in the school gym. You know, so we could hang all our dirty clothes up there.
[00:04:37] And they called the walk. But so then we went down. Firefighters were having their memorial that day. And so we went down there and wow. Again, incredibly touching, but my mom had her Komen shirt on. Every time she saw police or firefighter from Chicago, she’d be like, I’m from Chicago. I’m doing this.
[00:05:00] Love it. Love it. And so that was how we started. And then af then the next from following that we’ve always done Komen walks.
[00:05:09] Adam Walker: Wow, that’s amazing. And I assume you, it sounds like you do not do this alone. So tell me about the team. Tell me about the group.
[00:05:18] Robin Elm: Sure. So our team we start out, my mom and I, sister and I, and then over the years we had, my nieces, goddaughter cousins sisters from another mother, best friends have done the walk. In 2017, we lost my mom and dad 45 days apart. And we our whole family, we got the guys, my brother who would always say, oh, what’s so big about walking 20 miles a day? I could do that and get half a day of work in.
[00:06:00] So we all walked in the San Diego walk together.
[00:06:04] Adam Walker: That’s beautiful. That’s beautiful. So. I mean what does that experience mean to you when you do it over and over again and each time it’s it has meaning, it has weight. What does that mean to you?
[00:06:20] Robin Elm: Every walk is different. And while, you know, as a regular walker, we see some of the same people every year.
[00:06:28] The meaning is fundraising. People, you know, who I may have played tennis with for years, had no idea they were survivors. You know, when they get the fundraising thing, everyone unfortunately and tragically has a Komen story. And so really sharing that story and the grace of being able to walk in honor.
[00:06:52] And every year I walk and honor somebody personal. My story, my fundraising story is about somebody who, and they’ve been, you know. People of all ages who I walk an honor of them.
[00:07:06] Adam Walker: And it, I mean, is that your personal connection to breast cancer? Is it the community of people that you’ve known that have experienced that?
[00:07:13] Or is there, are there other things?
[00:07:15] Robin Elm: It’s a personal connection. Two cousins who are like sisters one probably 10 and a half years after she was first diagnosed you know, her cancer came back. They. I died 14 months apart from breast cancer. My my sister was diagnosed and when I would, you know, send out my fundraising letters, people I knew professionally that I sat in board rooms with that were clients that, you know, and they would, you know, ran, if I brought up Komen, they would ask, and everybody, you know.
[00:08:02] Everybody has a story.
[00:08:04] Adam Walker: Yeah. Yeah. I mean, everybody has a connection. Everybody knows someone. Everybody has a story. That’s right. That’s why we do it, right? Yes. So, I mean and I think I may have just answered this question but I’ll ask you, I mean, there there’s so many organizations that you can support.
[00:08:22] You’re spending your time supporting Susan G Komen. So to talk a little about why you chose Komen to get behind.
[00:08:32] Robin Elm: I think initially it was my mom’s enthusiasm. Why that has expanded is because there’s such a need. And I mean, I’ve been involved in a number of nonprofits, both in leadership and volunteering.
[00:08:51] They do a great job of supporting, you know, and holding the Walker community. And also while as Walkers we’re one community, we are also embraced by the local communities who have graciously said, we want you to walk. And so, you know to see little kids who’ve made pens and are handing them out and Girl Scout and Boy Scout uniforms and older people and dogs and, you know, every shape, size that you can imagine.
[00:09:24] And that they stand there and, you know, support all thousands of walkers.
[00:09:30] Adam Walker: Yeah. Yeah. It’s huge. It’s huge.
[00:09:33] Robin Elm: And the story is you know, my hope is that in my lifetime. You there will be a cure and we won’t continue to have loose, have Pink warriors, angels, and we can find the cure.
[00:09:53] Adam Walker: Yeah. Yeah. That’s the hope. I’m right there with you. I’m right there with you Now a new national advisory board has been formed for major gifts and planned giving, and you’ve been named the inaugural member. So what does that mean to you and why is that so important?
[00:10:15] Robin Elm: I think having a national advisory board, and that’s our role, is to really help Komen quantify and tell the story and really quantify the need. That while there’s a number of different organizations that support. People with breast cancer that Komen the commitment to research. I think a lot of people may know about Komen ads and think about fundraising, but they really have no awareness of the depth of the research and the complexity and diversity of the research that Komen supports.
[00:10:58] And so I think that is, a charge, you know, to help the advisory board and also to learn from other organizations or other previous individuals involved. One of my daughter-in-law’s best friend, her dad, she lost her mom when she was very young to breast cancer. And her dad wanted to create a community to support Jess, and he started the Komen Youth Corps.
[00:11:31] I didn’t find this out till I was sitting at their dining room table for Thanksgiving and how he rallied the kids and his daughter was embraced by the Komen Youth Corps community.
[00:11:43] Adam Walker: Wow. I love that. That’s beautiful. So going back to the three day let’s imagine for a second that I’m a new. Three day fundraiser.
[00:11:55] What are your top fundraising tips for a three day participant?
[00:12:03] Robin Elm: Create a compelling story, you know, really make it human. Who are you walking for and why? So that’s really key. And while there’s you know, templates for. Fundraising, really tell your story and so that you’re gonna approach people who know you, tell your story.
[00:12:27] And then I always ask if anybody wants me to walk in honor or in memory of someone. And most people sent that in. And then we have, we’ve done pans, names, ribbons. All kinds of things, and we carry their loved ones with us on the journey. Oh, that’s beautiful. I love that. And so that is key, I think, on the fundraising.
[00:12:55] It’s also that, and I try to be as diverse as I can on the story. So again, from, you know, a 12-year-old girl to my neighbor had been. Head of oncology at a ma, a major medical center. And when he explained to me of, in smaller communities, especially rural, what the need was for breast cancer awareness.
[00:13:23] And similar, which Komen is doing, is supporting those who don’t have the means to pay for a babysitter to get to treatment. One year I worked, I walked for a woman in my community who I didn’t know till I, I had heard her story, she’d gotten divorced, lost her job, got diagnosed, and didn’t have enough money to pay for gas to get to her treatment and walked in her honor.
[00:13:52] So I think. Sharing those stories and connecting. And while Komen has on the website, you can, you know, canned thank you notes. I always write a handwritten thank you note with pictures and yeah and include whatever they share, they were gracious enough to share of their story. Include that in my thank you and I should back up when
[00:14:21] I walk, and so I put cards in people’s mailboxes. And then all my donors, like I buy like a hundred ma pink magnets, and then my breast is friend, our team name on it. Yeah. And then as I’m walking, as I’m training, I put the ribbons on all my donors mailboxes. So part of it, I hope, like my other neighbors who don’t have one feel a little bit guilty.
[00:14:44] Adam Walker: I love it. I love it. You’re yeah. Sponsor shaming them into it. I love that. I love that.
[00:14:51] Robin Elm: And then they keep them on all year. Like, so now, this year, you know, starting walking, I’ll take the old ones off, which are all faded and put the new one on.
[00:14:59] Adam Walker: Oh, I love that. That’s so great. Wow. I mean, so much. Like I love the, I love the level of thoughtfulness that you put into that, right? That the mailbox what you say ribbons the handwritten thank you cards. The additional photos, like I, it’s the, I think it’s the thoughtfulness that really makes it a unique experience for people. And they, and it would give year over year, right?
[00:15:23] I love that. That’s beautiful. Oh, yeah.
[00:15:25] Robin Elm: I mean loyal donors who have given, you know for years and again, you know, from all different. Connections.
[00:15:36] Adam Walker: Yeah. Wow. And I guess la last question for the moment at least until I think of another one. But do you have any advice for people looking to get involved and don’t know what their giving options are or even where to start?
[00:15:52] Robin Elm: I think connecting them with resource, you know, connecting, trying to understand if they have questions, why Komen versus somebody else? Yeah. Really, again, putting faces on the story and helping them. I mean, one of my best friends, her, a good friend of hers who had lost her husband had two teenage kids, was diagnosed and she’s a flight attendant.
[00:16:24] And you know, Vegas and she didn’t even know where to go outside of Vegas and didn’t even know where to go for resources. Yeah, I mean, I called somebody at Komen and six hours later she was connected with resources in the community.
[00:16:39] Adam Walker: Wow. Wow. I love that. Yeah. There. Ability to help patients navigate and their patient navigators are just unbelievable.
[00:16:49] Yes. And I love getting to talk to those people. They’re so amazing. So, well, Robin I mean I, you’re inspiring everything from the details to the photos, to the handwritten cards to the attitude with which you walk. I love it. And just, I mean, thank you for what you do for the community you create, and for how you inspire us to, to, you know, to give and to sponsor.
[00:17:16] Robin Elm: Thank you. I’m honored to be a part of this podcast.
[00:17:21] Adam Walker: And thank you to Nature’s Bounty for supporting the Real Pink podcast. To learn more about breast cancer and about Nature’s Bounty partnership with Susan G Komen, please visit komen org.
[00:17:40] Thanks for listening to Real Pink, a weekly podcast by Susan G Komen. For more episodes, visit real pink.Komen.org. And for more on breast cancer, visit Komen.org. Make sure to check out at Susan G Komen on social media. I’m your host, Adam. You can find me on Twitter at AJ Walker or on my blog adam j walker.com.