Cardiovascular for a good cause

Fundraiser brings in $150K, actor

By Tai Arceneaux

A sea of pink flooded the front of the Satellite Student Union early Saturday as more than 4,500 people gathered to raise money and hope for the fight against breast cancer with this year’s Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation’s Race for the Cure.

Race Chairwoman Julie Weigand said about $150,000 was raised at the sixth annual event—exceeding last year’s $104,000 when 2,700 people participated.

“The growth was just incredible,” Weigand said. “In past years, we used to hold the event at Woodward Park, but we outgrew the location.”

The event featured a women’s and men’s competitive 5K run, a co-ed one-mile and 5K walk and Kids for the Cure quarter-mile walk for children 12 years and younger.

People who participated in the 5K run said they not only raced to win a medal, but to raise awareness of an illness that claims the lives of both women and men.

“You hear that about one out of five women get breast cancer, and that is scary,” said Chi Ly, who has participated in the racing event for five years. “It is real important that we support [the research] and get the cure for it because it seems so common.”

Actor David Arquette was also a part of the camaraderie, as the celebrity honorary chair.

Arquette was invited to Fresno by race registration co-chair Alice Loving, who was acting on the last request of Maggie Frazier, a local Komen volunteer. Frazier lost her battle to breast cancer on Oct. 26, 2003.

“She seemed like a really wonderful woman from the stories that her friends told me,” Arquette said. “It seemed like she really had a great outlook on life, so I came up here in her honor.”

Arquette became involved with the Komen Foundation five years ago after his mother, Madi Arquette, died of breast cancer at the age of 59.

Featured in films such as “Never Been Kissed” and “Scream,” Arquette said he wanted to use his presence to make people aware of the need for breast cancer research.

“It is pretty much the only real benefit to celebrities to lend your name to things and hopefully get people interested,” he said. “I also do it to show my support for people and families dealing with this terrible thing.”

Because of people like Ly and Arquette, Janice Trimble was able to wear a pink survivor’s cap and wave a pink rose as she crossed the stage during the event’s survivor recognition ceremony.

“It was a very emotional ceremony,” Trimble said. “I was sobbing and crying. Another woman saw me and we hugged each other.”

Trimble won her battle with breast cancer one year ago. She said it is important for survivors to get together in one place.

“I am proud that I am a survivor,” she said. “This is a bounding experience with people. You know that that person has been through the same emotions as you.”