Making Strides Against Breast Cancer

The numbers from yesterday’s Making Strides Against Breast Cancer walk in Point Pleasant Beach were simply overwhelming. A record 17,000 walkers helped the American Cancer Society raise more than $1.1 million in the battle against the disease with the money used to help people stay well, get well and fight back as well as ongoing research. However what makes the event so great is that it’s really hundreds of smaller groups who are all walking for a reason. Some are there as a tribute to a loved one or friend lost, others walk for survivors and many walk in the hope that one day breast cancer will become old news. The groups are as small as a couple to as large as The Brady Bunch, who had so many that they waited a half an hour after the start to begin their trek.

As most of you probably know by now my wife Jane is a breast cancer survivor and since 2004 she has organized a group of family, friends and co-workers from Manchester Township High School. As they usually do “Team Booberang” gathered early in the parking lot at Arnold and Ocean Avenues that is used as the staging point for the walk and had bagels, muffins and mimosas. Then their group, which included young, old and even a dog hit the streets. I stayed behind and found a good vantage point to watch the massive start…it actually took more than half an hour for everyone to get past the starting point. It is an awesome sight as are some of the outfits with pink the color of the day and many shirts featuring inspiring messages. Many companies had teams, including Bank of America who lost a co-worker to breast cancer just a few weeks ago. Schools were represented with soccer and field hockey teams walking in groups and there were even cheerleaders to greet the participants as they finished. On what was a perfect day for such a journey everyone who took part had a reason to be proud that they contributed to an overwhelming success not just because they helped raise a lot of money but because they raised just as much hope.

There were more than 800 survivors among Sunday’s walkers….we can only hope that number will continue to increase each and every year.