Making Strides Against Breast Cancer community walk returning to Orlando
WESH 2’s Nancy Alvarez is joined by a Making Strides Against Breast Cancer of Orlando volunteer operations chair, Erika Jordan, alongside volunteer and breast cancer survivor, Stephanie Ruf.
GOOD MORNING EVERYBODY. WE ARE LOOKING AHEAD TO NEXT WEEKEND WHEN PEOPLE ACROSS CENTRAL FLORIDA WILL LACE UP THEIR SHOES AND JOIN THE NATION’S NUMBER ONE BREAST CANCER MOVEMENT. THE AMERICAN CANCER SOCIETY IS HOSTING ITS MAKING STRIDES AGAINST BREAST CANCER WALK IN COMMUNITIES ACROSS THE COUNTRY. AND OF COURSE, THAT INCLUDES ORLANDO, ABOUT THREE MILES COULD MAKE A WORLD OF DIFFERENCE FOR THE COURAGEOUS PEOPLE LIVING WITH BREAST CANCER SURVIVORS, CAREGIVERS, FAMILIES. HERE NOW WITH YOUR INVITATION TO JOIN THIS AMAZING MOVEMENT AND BE THE HOPE, RIGHT? TO HELP SAVE LIVES. OUR VOLUNTEER OPERATIONS CHAIR, ERICA JORDAN, ALONGSIDE SURVIVOR AND VOLUNTEER STEPHANIE RUFF. GOOD MORNING LADIES. THANK YOU BOTH FOR BEING HERE TO TALK ABOUT THIS IMPORTANT EVENT THAT HAS SO MUCH MEANING FOR SO MANY. ERICA, START US OFF BY SHARING HOW THIS WALK REALLY HELPS ACCOMPLISH THE AMERICAN SOCIETY’S MISSION. AND THE THING ABOUT THIS, LADIES, IS I THINK PEOPLE KNOW, YOU KNOW, MONEY IS NEEDED FOR RESEARCH, BUT IT’S ALSO THE LITTLE THINGS, RIGHT, THAT WOMEN FACE IN THE BATTLE. EXACTLY. THIS WALK IS SUPER IMPORTANT TO US AND ESPECIALLY THE COMMUNITY OF ORLANDO. IT’S ONE OF THE NATION’S LARGEST WALKS FOR ATTENDANCE AND FUNDS RAISED. THE FUNDS IS SUPER IMPORTANT BECAUSE THAT’S WHAT GOES BACK TO THE COMMUNITY. BESIDES THE RESEARCH THAT IT GOES THROUGH, IT GOES TO. THINGS LIKE ROADS TO RECOVERY. THAT HELPS FOR TRANSPORT, FOR TREATMENT OPTIONS AFTER CANCER DIAGNOSIS. ALSO, EVEN WIGS CAN BE PROVIDED TO PATIENTS IN NEED IN THE COMMUNITY. SO THERE’S SO MANY THINGS, LITTLE AND BIG, THAT GO WITH THIS WALK THAT WE’RE SO PROUD TO BE A PART OF. YEAH, AND THE LITTLE ONES ARE SIGNIFICANT. I REMEMBER, YOU KNOW, MY ONCOLOGIST TALKING TO ME, A PATIENT SHE HAD TALKED ABOUT HAVING TO SELL HER CAR TO PAY HER CO-PAYS. WHAT, LIKE NOBODY SHOULD HAVE TO DO THAT, RIGHT. SO IF YOU IF YOU NEED THAT HELP, IT SHOULD BE THERE FOR YOU. STEPHANIE VOLUNTEERS, SURVIVORS AND ADVOCATES LIKE YOURSELF ARE REALLY A CORNERSTONE OF THE MOVEMENT. SO LET’S TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT YOUR JOURNEY. YEAH, I ABOUT THREE YEARS AGO WAS DIAGNOSED WITH BREAST CANCER. I WENT TO MY YEARLY CHECKUP AND WAS ORDERED A MAMMOGRAM. THAT MAMMOGRAM SHOWED AREAS OF CONCERN, WHICH LED TO FURTHER MAMMOGRAMS, ULTRASOUNDS, BIOPSIES, AND ULTIMATELY THAT PHONE CALL FROM MY DOCTOR TELLING ME THAT I DID HAVE BREAST CANCER. AND, YOU KNOW, OBVIOUSLY FROM THAT MOMENT, YOU JUST START SEEING A LOT OF DOCTORS AND GETTING A LOT OF INFORMATION THROWN AT YOU AND TRYING TO DISSECT IT AND FIND OUT WHAT THAT MEANS FOR YOU AND YOUR HEALTH JOURNEY. AND FROM THE BEGINNING, I JUST I KNEW THAT I WANTED TO BE ABLE TO GIVE BACK AND HELP OTHER PEOPLE ON THEIR JOURNEY AND USE MY EXPERIENCE TO HELP OTHERS GOING THROUGH SIMILAR THINGS. AND THAT’S WHEN I GOT INVOLVED IN MAKING START WITH MAKING STRIDES AGAINST BREAST CANCER. WELL, THE KEY YOU JUST SAID RIGHT THERE IS YOUR MAMMOGRAM SAVED YOUR LIFE. MINE DID TOO, SISTER. YES. SO I’M GLAD YOU’RE HERE HELPING ME, YOU KNOW, SHARE THIS MESSAGE. GET YOUR MAMMOGRAMS. YES. IF YOU HAVEN’T SCHEDULED THEM YET TO TALK MORE ABOUT THE RACE. ERICA, WHAT DOES EVERYBODY NEED TO KNOW AHEAD OF NEXT WEEKEND’S EVENT HERE? I’LL CHEAT AND TAKE ONE. PINK. JUST PINK. SOMETHING, ANYTHING. FACE PAINT, T SHIRT. IT’S JUST IT’S BEYOND RIGHT. THE PINK 100%. GET READY. WEAR YOUR PINK. THIS IS A FAMILY EVENT, KIDS. YOUR ANIMALS. YOU CAN BRING YOUR DOGS, STROLLERS. IT’S A WALK, NOT A RACE. SO THERE’S NO PRESSURE FOR ANYBODY TO, YOU KNOW, GO THROUGH IT IN A FAST TIME. EVERYONE CAN TAKE THEIR TIME. YOU CAN GO ON TO OUR WEBSITE TO THE KNOW BEFORE YOU GO TO LEARN ABOUT PARKING. ALSO SIGN UP YOUR TEAM IF YOU HAVEN’T DONE THAT ALREADY. IF YOU’RE UNABLE TO MAKE THE WALK, YOU’RE MORE THAN WELCOME TO DONATE BECAUSE EVERY DOLLAR COUNTS AND IT GOES TOWARDS A GREAT CAUSE. AND THE ATMOSPHERE IS SO UPLIFTING, ISN’T IT? THERE’S SO MUCH ENERGY. IT’S SO MUCH FUN. I LOST ONE OF MY DEAREST FRIENDS TO BREAST CANCER RIGHT AFTER I COMPLETED MY JOURNEY, AND I HAVE HER DOG, AND SO MINKA AND I GO TO THE RACE AND SHE WEARS A LITTLE T-SHIRT THAT SAYS, I WALK FROM MY MOMMY. AND SO THERE’S JUST SO MANY, YOU KNOW, IT’S VERY SWEET AND THERE’S SO MANY SYMBOLS LIKE THAT. PEOPLE REALLY DO GO ALL OUT TO REALLY HONOR THE PEOPLE THAT THEY’RE WALKING FOR. SO LET’S TALK ABOUT WHERE WE CAN GET MORE INFORMATION. YOU MENTIONED IT BRIEFLY, BUT LET’S TALK ABOUT WHERE YOU CAN GO TO STILL SIGN UP. YES. YOU CAN GO TO OUR WEBSITE AT ORLANDO.COM. THAT’S WHERE YOU CAN FIND OUT ALL OF OUR INFORMATION. YOU CAN SIGN UP FOR YOUR TEAM AND THEN GET ALL THE KNOW BEFORE YOU GO FOR THE LOGISTICS ON WHERE TO PARK AND ALL THE GREAT THINGS TO GET READY FOR THE EVENT. REMEMBER MAKING STRIDES AGAINST BREAST CANCER? ORLANDO IS NEXT SATURDAY, OCTOBER 25TH. REGISTRATION, DONATION, VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES ALL STILL AVAILABLE RIGHT NOW. WE WILL POST A LINK WITH ALL THIS INFORMATION ON OUR WEBSITE WESH.COM. STILL PLENTY OF TIME TO GET YOUR PINK AND A PINK T SHIRT FOR YOUR DOG. THANK YOU LADIES SO MUCH FOR BEING HERE. CONTINUE TO THRIVE SISTER.
Making Strides Against Breast Cancer community walk returning to Orlando
WESH 2’s Nancy Alvarez is joined by a Making Strides Against Breast Cancer of Orlando volunteer operations chair, Erika Jordan, alongside volunteer and breast cancer survivor, Stephanie Ruf.
Updated: 10:18 AM EDT Oct 16, 2025
WESH 2’s Nancy Alvarez is joined by a Making Strides Against Breast Cancer of Orlando volunteer operations chair, Erika Jordan, alongside volunteer and breast cancer survivor, Stephanie Ruf. The annual event is hosted by AdventHealth. Jordan and Ruf discuss the celebration of courage and hope uniting communities to end breast cancer. For more than 30 years, the American Cancer Society has hosted the MSABC fundraising walk in communities across the nation, making it both the largest and most impactful breast cancer event.According to the ASC, the nonprofit organization has invested over $600 million in breast cancer research more than $5 billion in research for all cancer types since 1946.Volunteer, donation and registration opportunities are available.Making Strides Against Breast Cancer OrlandoWhen: Saturday, Oct. 25, 2025Schedule of Events: 7:00 a.m. – Walk Program Begins 7:30 a.m. – Opening Remarks 9:00 a.m. – Walk Begins 10:30 a.m. – Walk Route Closes 11:00 a.m. – Event Ends Location: Lake Eola Park, 566 E Robinson St., Orlando FLClick here to learn more.
ORLANDO, Fla. —
WESH 2’s Nancy Alvarez is joined by a Making Strides Against Breast Cancer of Orlando volunteer operations chair, Erika Jordan, alongside volunteer and breast cancer survivor, Stephanie Ruf.
The annual event is hosted by AdventHealth.
Jordan and Ruf discuss the celebration of courage and hope uniting communities to end breast cancer.
For more than 30 years, the American Cancer Society has hosted the MSABC fundraising walk in communities across the nation, making it both the largest and most impactful breast cancer event.
According to the ASC, the nonprofit organization has invested over $600 million in breast cancer research more than $5 billion in research for all cancer types since 1946.
Volunteer, donation and registration opportunities are available.
Making Strides Against Breast Cancer Orlando
When: Saturday, Oct. 25, 2025
Schedule of Events:
7:00 a.m. – Walk Program Begins
7:30 a.m. – Opening Remarks
9:00 a.m. – Walk Begins
10:30 a.m. – Walk Route Closes
11:00 a.m. – Event Ends
Location: Lake Eola Park, 566 E Robinson St., Orlando FL
Click here to learn more.