Sandy Weiss is a breast cancer survivor, but even more so she's a breast cancer activist.

Along with participating in the Susan G. Komen Pittsburgh Race for the Cure tomorrow, Ms. Weiss, 42, is taking part in two breast cancer drug trials and training with her husband, Bob, for the Washington, D.C., Breast Cancer 3-day on Oct. 9-11, a 60-mile walk that also raises funds for the Komen foundation.

"I feel like I've been so blessed by people who have gone before, who have been in studies, who gave to research. I feel driven to give back as much as I can," said the Pleasant Hills resident, who was diagnosed with stage 3 breast cancer on Feb. 1, 2008. She subsequently underwent chemotherapy, a mastectomy, radiation, removal of her ovaries and now continues in the two trials.

Others in Ms. Weiss' shoes might feel like they've already given more than enough, for her family is rife with incidents of breast and ovarian cancer. Her mother survived ovarian cancer for 10 years only to get colon cancer and die 17 years ago. Her sister has battled ovarian cancer "off and on" over the past 15 years "but is doing well right now." "I have multiple cousins who have had [cancer], some doing well, some who have passed away." Some have had breast cancer; others, ovarian cancer.

"I am, strangely enough, from a family that carries the [BRCA 1] mutation, but I do not," she said. "My family was in a study about BRCA about 15 years ago, and they determined that I didn't carry the mutation." After she developed breast cancer, she was re-tested for the mutated gene, but the result again was negative. The cause of her breast cancer is not known.

Along with the clinical trials and her race-training, Ms. Weiss, director of administrative operations of North Way Christian Community Church, and her family are doing fundraising for the 60-mile walk.

"It's a huge fundraiser. You have to raise $2,300 just to be in it," she said. "Last year, I had a team of 50 [for the Pittsburgh race] but this year I asked all my people to donate to my three-day. I'm going to walk this one and just enjoy the people we meet. ...

"We're hoping we can raise more than $5,000 [for Washington]. The more we can raise, the more they can do."

To help Ms. Weiss raise money for the 60-mile event, go to the www.the3day.org, follow the prompt to "donate" and then type in her name.