Portland became a special place Sunday, September 27th as 33,000 women met to share the emotional meltdown of cancer at the Race For The Cure. The gathering was one of hope and support for the thousands of participants, their families and friends, whose involvement helped show their determination to overcome this often fatal disease. It was also a time for fun and camaraderie.

"We anticipated 28,000 or 30,000," said Event Co-director Sharon Toncray as the race got underway. "We think we’re right at 33,000. It is an amazing statement about our community. Portland really shows its pride on race day."

The influence of the community was very evident as various groups with affiliations to hospitals, service organizations and individuals met and came together. Kaiser Permanente, J C Penny and Oregon Health Sciences University each had hundreds of employees, families and friends attend to show their support.

"We have a lot of employees that had breast cancer; some survived and some didn’t," said Multnomah County Wellness Coordinator Wendy Hausotter. "We’re doing it in support of them. We have 150 signed up."

For some, it was a much more personal crusade. The Guardian Angels was one of the groups who participated to honor an individual’s bout with cancer. The Angels have been doing the race for four years now and had 253 registered members this year.

"The Guardian Angels was a team started for Theresa Vanderburg," said her sister-in-law and Team Captain Carla Vanderburg. "She got breast cancer at 26. She died of complications at 31."

In addition to the entry fees, the Angels also donated over $500 this year, with money still being collected. Race Marketing Chairperson Stephanie Koenig estimated that this year’s event will raise over $650,000. Money raised by the race is used to fund programs to support awareness, education and early detection of breast cancer for women throughout Oregon and SW Washington.

A half hour before the start of the women-only 5k Race For The Cure, the one- mile coed Walk For The Cure marched off the starting line with quite a few men and children accompanying the women. Men were invited to participate in the Race For The Cure either as event marshals or walkers in the one-mile event. Many of those in the walk wore conspicuously green "Men For The Cure" T- shirts.

One of the participants in the walk was Bill Scarborough, a seasoned local runner. He was pushing his 2 year old granddaughter for the second time. "It doesn’t hurt to get her introduced to running," said Scarborough. Scarborough also felt strongly about the cause and believed it was important for the women who participated.

"I do believe having them get together wearing those [pink survivor] hats is important," he said. "In many ways our attitudes help us. We cure ourselves."

The Race For The Cure is part of the national fundraising program for the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation. Nancy Goodman Brinker started the foundation in 1982 in the name of her sister-in-law who died of breast cancer. Since then, she has been fulfilling a promise she made to Susan to do something to fight the disease. Money raised by the foundation is used to increase awareness of breast cancer and to provide free and low cost mammograms to women who do not have access to them. Brinker developed cancer herself after starting the foundation, but she successfully overcame the disease.

By combining a fundraising drive to combat cancer with a fitness event, Brinker has hit the right combination. Since the races’ inception in Dallas, Tex., in 1983, it has grown to 77 races with nearly a half million participants. It has raised over $65 million dollars.

As the walkers left, the women began assembling for the main event on Sam Naito Parkway, and it soon became apparent that this was one of the largest running events in Portland history. A solid mass of women filled the Parkway for blocks and blocks. It would eventually take over 45 minutes for the last women in that pack to reach the start line after the race started.

The mood was very upbeat—there was excitement in the air as participants scurried around to find their friends and then searched for a place to wedge into the starting pack. This event, more than anything, has provided women with a haven where they can talk about cancer among people who understand what it means. It is a place where they can actually see the efforts being made to combat the disease and see the commitment of others to eradicating it. And many of the athletes have benefited from the research funded by the event as well.

"I’m in the process of receiving a treatment that is experimental," said Sister Pat Nizic, who was at the race with about 25 other nuns and friends of the Sisters of the Holy Names of Jesus and Mary. "I’m very happy to be a part of it."

For some participants, it was also a competitive event. Many of the better local women runners were there at the starting line, pitting themselves against each other for a good cause. When the results were in, Liz Wilson of Eugene came in first with a time of 16:30. She was followed by Michelle Borgert of Salem (16:36); Rachel Sauder, also of Salem, with a time of 16:54; and Deanna O’Neil of Canby (16:58).

The race also honored the fastest cancer survivors by providing a special chute for their finish. Top survivors were: Beaverton’s Gail Bailey with a time of 21:09; Cindy Murphy of Bend, 22:49; Diana Mickaelson of Tigard with 23:35; and Salem’s Judy Martin with a time of 23:37.

The Race For The Cure will be back again next year and much will have happen in the meantime. Race organizers will surely be prepared for more participants, and more money will undoubtedly be raised. For more information about next year’s event, contact the Greater Portland Chapter of the Komen Foundation at (503) 242-1874.

One thing that will not change is the commitment that Portland and the surrounding area have made to fight breast cancer. Let’s hope that one day soon women will be gathering to celebrate the end of this disease.

Have you got a human interest story to share or something newsworthy regarding running ? ontherunevents.com is happy to share news & stories like this with our readers. Send us your stories, your experiences!

Copyright © 1998 ontherunevents.com, All rights reserved.
Commercial use or redistribution in any form, printed or electronic, is prohibited.