23rd Annual Susan G. Komen OC Race for the Cure Generates Critical Funds to Fight Breast Cancer

TUSTIN, Calif. - Oct. 1, 2014 - PRLog -- Yesterday was a morning filled with hope as nearly 20,000 supporters, breast cancer survivors and families from Orange County and beyond filled the streets in Fashion Island at the 23nd Annual Susan G. Komen Orange County Race for the Cure® (http://www.komenoc.org/race) in Newport Beach. The largest race of its kind in California, and Komen’s largest annual fundraiser, attracted a crowd of pink to raise critical funds for local breast health initiatives, education and research. This year’s theme “Race for Impact, Race for Breakthroughs, and Race for Futures,” inspired hope for a world without breast cancer.

This year’s fundraising goal – more than $2 million – is expected to be reached when everything is totaled up at the end of October, which is Breast Cancer Awareness month. All are encouraged to keep fundraising to the end.

“We are so proud of all of our committed supporters who tirelessly work to help the fight against this devastating disease,” said Lisa Wolter, executive director of Komen Orange County. “It’s inspiring to see men, women and children from Orange County and beyond join together in Komen pink to help us raise the funds necessary to continue our work of providing life-changing breast cancer treatment, education, and groundbreaking research.”

Carmelita Jeter (http://www.carmelitajeter.com/), the fastest woman alive, attended this year’s Race to support the cause. She sounded the horn for the last Race of the day and signed autographs for Race participants at the Komen breast health booth. Another official Race starter was Snoopy, who kicked off the Kids One-Mile Fun Run and Family Walk, presented by Knott’s Berry Farm (https://www.knotts.com/). The fun run was a new element to this year’s Race and brought together children and their families to inspire future generations in the fight against breast cancer. After running through the Knott’s-branded finish line, children were given pink shoelaces for their participation.

“I speak on behalf of the entire Race committee when I say that this year’s Race was a huge success,” said Doug McKay, 2014 race chair and the first male chair in the history of this event. “Seeing all the participants come out with their friends and families to support the fight against breast cancer proves that we are all in this together.”

An inspirational parade of over 1,200 survivors, each wearing a string of beads for every year of survivorship, created a sea of pink as they walked to the steps of the Pacific Life building. The Survivor Tribute Ceremony celebrated the lives of woman who have won their fight against breast cancer. Jeter shared how she lost her aunt and cousin to the disease, which encouraged her to support Komen. Breast cancer survivors Carla Cammack and Donna Hartman recounted their personal experiences with breast cancer, along with singer Robin Pollok who currently is experiencing the brave fight against the disease for the second time.

·         Cammack, a seventeen-year breast cancer survivor, has been involved with Komen Orange County in many ways since 1998. She has raised more than $200,000 for Komen Orange County and continues to raise funds with her family.

·         Hartman is a two-time breast cancer survivor who was diagnosed in 1996 and 2011. She dedicates hours on end volunteering for Komen Orange County – assisting with and promoting the Race for the Cure and the Survivor Tribute Ceremony, participating in the Komen Speakers Bureau, as well as the Survivors Advisory Committee.

·         Pollok was diagnosed with cancer at the age of 27 and was declared cancer free in 1991. Twenty-three years later, Robin is battling the disease again. Every year, Pollok sings the national anthem at Race for the Cure and this year she reflected on her journey and shared words of encouragement for the women who are fighting alongside her.

The 23^nd Annual Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure by the numbers:

The Race featured more than 16,000 registered participants.
Of the registered participants, more than 1,200 were breast cancer survivors.
There were nearly 700 teams, the largest being the Chase and JP Morgan team with nearly 600 team members.
More than 1,300 volunteers from Orange County and all over the world helped at booths, water stations and on the course.

Carla Cammack was the top individual fundraiser, having raised $15,298 to-date for this year’s Race.

The top fundraising team was Bank of America/Merrill Lynch Team whose team fundraising total is currently at $22,874.

Jon Harding won the 7:15 runner’s start 5K, with a time of 16 minutes; John Redmond won the 9:45 5K with a time of 18 minutes. Top finishers of the breast cancer survivors were Judy Pickett for the 7:15 5K with a time of 21 minutes; and Michelle Lewis for the 9:45 5K with a time of 27 minutes.

Seventy-five percent of the funds raised through Komen Orange County are invested in local breast cancer awareness and education programs, breast self-examination classes, medical and diagnostic services for uninsured and underinsured women, and other community needs through grants to community breast health organizations.  The remaining 25 percent is dedicated to the Komen Award and Research Grant Program to fund groundbreaking breast cancer research.

Local Presenting Sponsors include The Allergen Foundation, Chevron, Knott’s Berry Farm, Orange County Register (Founding Sponsor), Ralphs and Food 4 Less. Platinum Sponsors are Ambry Genetics, ABC7 (Broadcast and Founding Sponsor), Fashion Island and Pacific Life Insurance Company (Home of the Race). Diamond Sponsors are 100.3FM The Sound, MartiniInTheMorning.com and Smart Levels Media (Print Sponsor).

About Susan G. Komen

Nancy G. Brinker promised her dying sister, Suzy, she would do everything in her power to end breast cancer. Today Susan G. Komen® works to end breast cancer in the U.S. and throughout the world by investing more than $790 million in breast cancer research and 1.5 billion in community outreach programs over the past 30 years; providing funding to help low-income and uninsured women get screened and get treatment, advocating for cancer research and outreach programs; and working globally in more than 30 countries. Visit Komen.org. Connect with us on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/susangkomenforthecure?ecid=vanit...) and Twitter (https://twitter.com/SusanGKomen). For more information on Susan G. Komen Orange County, please visit www.komenoc.org or call 714-957-9157.