Time to bust out those tennis shoes
Photo provided by
Virginia Madrid-Salazar
More than 4,500 men,
women and children participated in last year’s Race for the
Cure. This year’s event will be held on Saturday, Oct. 22
beginning at 6:30 a.m. at the Satellite Student Union. |
By Jennifer Palmberg
The Collegian
Nancy Brinker established the
Susan G. Komen foundation in 1982 in memory of her sister who died from
breast cancer at the age of 36. The foundation is the nation’s largest
private sponsor of breast cancer research and information distribution,
the Web site said.
The Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation has teamed up with Fresno
State to host Race for the Cure. The event features a men’s 5K competitive
run, a women’s 5K competitive run, a co-ed 5K/1 mile (non-competitive)
walk, kids for the cure races, a survivor recognition ceremony and an
awards ceremony for the 5K competitors.
Race for the Cure was brought to Fresno by a breast cancer survivor. Carolyn
Jorgensen, founder of Race for the Cure, was first diagnosed with breast
cancer 14 years ago.
“I didn’t know anything about it, “ Jorgensen said.
“Back then you didn’t talk about breasts.”
Jorgensen stumbled upon an advertisement in a running magazine that read
“bring Race for the Cure to your town.” She gathered all the
manuals and information necessary and in 1998 Fresno hosted its first
Race for the Cure event at Woodward Park.
Jorgensen felt the event would offer a way for other survivors to come
together and share their experiences and offer hope to other cancer victims.
She called it a “sisterhood.”
“I was diagnosed with breast cancer again in March of this year
and I wouldn’t have had the same support and rally behind me that
I do if it wasn’t for all the great people I’ve met through
the race,” Jorgensen said. “I’m also very grateful for
my husband. He’s been my rock throughout the years and I couldn’t
have done any of this without his support.”
Allison Malfatti, California Cancer Center facilities manager, said the
event was designed not only to raise money for breast cancer research,
but to raise awareness about the disease in general. She said it’s
also a way to emphasize the importance of checking for breast cancer regularly.
The California Cancer Center held two pre-event training sessions Sept.
24 and Oct. 13 to help participants prepare for their competition. Training
included physical training information and an optional walk or run to
Woodward Park and back.
“[The training sessions] were really fun,” Malfatti said.
“I participated in both of them.”
Malfatti said the training sessions were designed not only to help people
prepare mentally and physically, but also to generate more interest in
the event.
About 90 people participated in the event in its first year. Last year
the event had more than 4,500 participants and about 200 of those were
cancer survivors.
“The event grew every year until it was too big to be held at the
park,” said Virginia Madrid-Salazar, PR chair for the race. “We
went searching for other venues and Fresno State was gracious enough to
offer to hold it. This year will be its third year held on campus.”
T-shirts will be given to the first 5,000 Race for the Cure participants
and all participants will be given a race number. Breast cancer survivors
who wish to be recognized will receive a pink hat and T-shirt.
Those affected by breast cancer
can also get “In memory of” and “In celebration of”
back signs to honor loved ones.
Race for the Cure will be held Saturday, Oct. 22 at the Satellite Student
Union.
Race packet pick-up and on-site registration will be available at the
Smittcamp Alumni House on Thursday, Oct. 20 from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. and
on Friday, Oct. 21 from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Race-day registration will begin
at the race site at 6:30 a.m. and registration for each event closes 15
minutes prior to the event.
“I want to encourage everyone to participate, especially cancer
survivors,” Jorgensen said.
Breast cancer will affect 216,000 women and 1,450 men and more than 40,000
women and 470 men will die from the disease this year, according to The
Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation.
Comment
on this story in the Features forum >>
|
