By Eleanor Cade Busby
Over 400 walkers participated in the Walk for the Cure on Sunday in Damariscotta. Forty breast cancer survivors, which included women and men, walked with supporters to raise funds for research and treatment. Breast cancer is the most common cancer among American women, except for skin cancer.(Eleanor Cade Busby photo) |
On Sunday over 400 walkers joined forces in Damariscotta to raise money for research to finish the fight and prevent breast cancer in the annual American Cancer Society Making
Strides Against Breast Cancer Walk.
Over $50,000 was raised during the local event, one of 300 held nationwide, through donations and pledges, according to American Cancer Society representative Kathy
Metz. The local total will be higher when all the pledges are collected. Proceeds from the three-mile walk will support The American Cancer Society’s breast cancer research,
education, and patient services programs
Walkers and volunteers gathered under bright pink tents in the parking lot of The First in Damariscotta. Deejay D.J. Jadin kept spirits high with great music prior
to the three mile walk. Mallory Brooks from WMTW Channel 8 was emcee, and tried, despite equipment malfunctions, to announce the event.
Teams of walkers from schools, businesses, and families walked the three mile course to celebrate survivors and in honor of those lost to the disease. O’Connor
Chevrolet was the largest team, with upwards of 40 walkers. Individuals walked as well as teams, and people joined in who were passing by.
“The Lady Cougars” Great Salt Bay Community School Girls Soccer Team of seventh and eighth grade girls turned out in force for the walk to “Finish the Fight,” the slogan of this year’s Walk for the Cure. (Eleanor Cade Busby photo) |
Terrance McIlvery, from Dover, N.H., was in Damariscotta looking at the pumpkins. “I’m a survivor,” said the 62-year-old, “Men get breast cancer, too. It’s hard to
talk about and very lonely. I think we’ll walk along.” Terrance and his wife, Ada, slipped into the parade of pink and walked hand in hand.
Survivors were presented with “Beauty Queen” style sashes to wear as they walked. Approximately 40 breast cancer survivors joined the walk, along with many still in
treatment.
Since the first walk over 20 years ago, nearly 8 million walkers have raised more than $500 million to help fight breast cancer through participating in the
noncompetitive, 3- to 5-mile events nationwide.
In 2013 alone, nearly a million walkers across the country collected more than $85 million for the cause, according to the American Cancer Society website.
