Early Sunday morning (we’re talking before the sunrise, people!), I put on some pink running gear and headed down to Six Flags Great Adventure in Jackson for the 16th annual Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure, sponsored by the Central and South Jersey chapter of the world’s largest organization for breast cancer education and research. I joined Claire and the rest of our team, “Pat and Polly’s Pack,” to help raise funds during this October’s Breast Cancer Awareness Month.
Pat and Polly’s Pack (comprised of family members and friends) chose to honor two extraordinary women who unfortunately have a connection with the disease. Our cousin, Pat, is a survivor of breast cancer, though she had a new challenge with uterine cancer to conquer this past year. Claire’s mother-in-law, Polly, is courageously battling breast cancer right now.
It was amazing to look around the crowd gathered at Six Flags–young children, local college sororities, families running in memory of loved ones, and even women and men fighting the disease.
Among the hundreds of teams joining Pat and Polly’s Pack were the “Bosom Buddies” (loved your hats, ladies!), “I-rish for a Cure,” and the “Chesterfield Chicks.” Even Governor Jon Corzine laced up his sneakers for the run. (I don’t know how he’ll do in his other race, but I crossed the finish line before Corzine in this one.)
More than 1,700 people participated in the flat and fast 5K run through the amusement park; another 10,000 chose to walk the 4K and 1-mile routes. In addition, there was a special parade of survivors to honor those who are now cancer-free. As of this morning, this Race for the Cure raised more than $1 million to fight breast cancer.
Claire and I were happy to be a small part of the pink party on Sunday—and are already looking forward to our next race in November!