Thousands race to end breast cancer
Key points
- Each year, thousands of Americans die from breast cancer, but there are also thousands who survive the battle.
- On Saturday morning in downtown Jackson, hundreds laced up their tennis shoes to honor breast cancer survivors, fighters and those who've passed from the disease.
- Full of energy and enthusiasm, more than 2,000 runners and walkers began their weekend by racing to cure breast cancer.
- "Mississippi ranks third in the nation in terms of breast cancer mortality," said Dr.
Each year, thousands of Americans die from breast cancer, but there are also thousands who survive the battle.
On Saturday morning in downtown Jackson, hundreds laced up their tennis shoes to honor breast cancer survivors, fighters and those who've passed from the disease.
Full of energy and enthusiasm, more than 2,000 runners and walkers began their weekend by racing to cure breast cancer.
"Mississippi ranks third in the nation in terms of breast cancer mortality," said Dr. Wilma Mosley Clopton, the board president for the local Race for the Cure.
92 teams registered in Saturday's Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure 5K. Participants included babies who were being pulled in pink wagons, ladies in tutus and walkers in fancy dresses.
"It's wonderful seeing all these people that are not cancer survivors, but running or walking," said Reba Spell.
76-year-old Spell is a proud breast cancer survivor. She was diagnosed in 2008.
"I've been doing great since then, so next year I'll have my five years, which is sort of a mark," said Spell.
Several WLBT employees were also among the crowd of racers.
"I've already run the full thing, this is my second time around," WLBT's Stephen Gunter told us jokingly.
In the midst of the fun, Saturday's Race for the Cure allowed Cora Beth Hartfield the chance to educate others about inflammatory breast cancer. Doctors say its incurable and very rare.
"This is not a lump and you cannot find this in a mammogram," said Hartfield.
Hartfield and her team, "Team Sherry," are walking for Hartfield's mom who was recently diagnosed with inflammatory breast cancer.
"She's great we have a lot of friends and family lifting her up in prayer and we believe God can heal her," Hartfield told WLBT.
100 survivors including at least one man were registered and crossed the finish line in Saturday's race. 75 percent of all the money raised will go directly back into the community.
It "is used to provide mammogram's for uninsured and under-insured women," said Dr. Clopton.
Over the years, Mississippi's Race for the Cure has raised close to $2 million.
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JACKSON, MS (WLBT)
Written and revised by
Gerald Hurowitz, M.D.
Our doctors write and review articles for accuracy and keep them up to date.
health.am provides general information, not medical advice. Always consult a qualified health professional about your own health.
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