NEW YORK (WABC) — Crowds across New York City and the Tri-State area are gathering for the American Cancer Society’s Making Strides Against Breast Cancer walks on Sunday.
Tens of thousands of survivors, caregivers, friends and family are expected to participate in the walk taking place in Central Park, which kicked off at 8 a.m.
Eyewitness News Reporter Kemberly Richardson caught up with one survivor, Shannon Barrett, ahead of the walk’s start.
Kemberly Richardson speaks with survivor Shannon Barrett in Central Park about the walk and its significance.
Out on Long Island, people are getting ready for the 32nd annual Making Strides walk in Jones Beach.
For Eyewitness News Reporter Stacey Sager, Sunday’s walk is personal for her as a three-time survivor. Last year, Sager marked the one-year anniversary from her own diagnosis.
Sager spoke with Dr. Jennifer Halpern, another breast cancer survivor, as festivities for the walk in Jones Beach got underway.
Stacey Sager speaks with breast cancer survivor Dr. Jennifer Halpern in Jones Beach about the walk.
More than 150 communities nationwide are hosting Making Strides events on Sunday. Click here to register and find a location near you.
Making Strides has always been more than just a walk. It’s a movement raising lifesaving funds that support not only survivors, but also those who have been diagnosed with breast cancer as well as those in treatment through every step of the journey.
Organizers say the important takeaway from Sunday’s walks will be education. Next to skin cancer, breast cancer is the most common cancer in women.
But we cannot forget about another large part of the population that is affected by breast cancer: Men. Roughly 3,000 men will be diagnosed with breast cancer in the U.S., health officials say.
The American Cancer Society will have booths set up at the walks, including the one in Central Park, where they will answer questions and provide information about breast cancer. There will also be a “Survivor and Thriver Village” booth, where people who have beat breast cancer or are undergoing diagnosis or treatment can share their stories.
According to Stephen Cavanaugh of the American Cancer Society, there are a plethora of resources available to breast cancer survivors, patients and their families. Some resources include the Hope Lodge program, the Road to Recovery program for people who need free rides to treatment, and their National Cancer Information Center.
“Those tangible resources, are really, really valuable for people day in and day out, and we are seeing a lot of progress,” Cavanaugh said. “The breast cancer death rate has declined, mostly due to preventative care and getting people back to screening, so that’s a major initative for us right now.”
Since 1998, the American Cancer Society has invested more than $600 million to go towards breast cancer research.
We invite you to join forces with us and the American Cancer Society – the nation’s nonprofit leader working tirelessly to end breast cancer as we know it.
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