Pittsburgh’s 34th Komen More than Pink Walk set for Sunday
WELCOME TO. FOR THE RECORD, I’M ELENA LAQUATRA, AND THIS MORNING WE ARE JUST ONE WEEK AWAY FROM THE KOMEN. PITTSBURGH MORE THAN PINK WALK, WHICH RAISES MONEY TO FUND BREAST CANCER RESEARCH, PATIENT SUPPORT AND EDUCATION. ABOUT 320,000 PEOPLE IN THE U.S. ARE EXPECTED TO BE DIAGNOSED WITH BREAST CANCER THIS YEAR ALONE, AND NEARLY 43,000 PEOPLE IN THE COUNTRY WILL DIE OF THE ILLNESS THIS YEAR. AND WHILE THIS IS SO OFTEN THOUGHT OF AS A WOMAN’S DISEASE, IT TURNS OUT MORE AND MORE MEN ARE BEING DIAGNOSED WITH BREAST CANCER. I SAT DOWN WITH ONE OF THOSE MEN, GEORGE BANK, WHO TELLS ME HOW ADVOCATING FOR HIS OWN HEALTH MAY HAVE SAVED HIS LIFE. GEORGE, TELL US A LITTLE BIT ABOUT YOURSELF. MY NAME IS GEORGE BANK. I LIVE IN MOUNT LEBANON. I HAVE TWO CHILDREN, JORDAN AND LAURIE, AND TWO GRANDCHILDREN, CHLOE AND CONNOR, WHO WE WATCHED TWO DAYS A WEEK. PRETTY MUCH RETIRED. I’M A LANDLORD, BUT DON’T HAVE THAT MUCH WORK TO DO. AS FAR AS THAT GOES, KELLY’S RETIRING IN MAY, SO WE’RE LOOKING FORWARD TO, YOU KNOW, SOMETHING NEW IN LIFE. THAT’S AWESOME. NOW YOU GET TO BE THE FULL TIME NANNY TO YOUR GRANDCHILDREN. I’M WORKING ON GETTING MY PARENTS TO BE THAT AS WELL FOR MYSELF. WE ENJOY IT. THEY DO ENJOY IT. I KNOW IT’S SO SPECIAL FOR THEM. ARE YOU A PITTSBURGH NATIVE, BORN AND RAISED? YES. I WAS BORN IN BETHEL PARK AND WE’VE LIVED IN OUR HOUSE IN MOUNT LEBANON NOW FOR 32 YEARS. AWESOME. OKAY. WELL, TELL US A LITTLE BIT ABOUT YOUR STORY AND YOUR JOURNEY HERE AS A MALE BREAST CANCER SURVIVOR. WELL, IT’S ALMOST A I’M COMING UP ON A YEAR SINCE MY SURGERY, BUT BACK IN JANUARY OF LAST YEAR, MY WIFE AND I ALWAYS SIT AND HAVE A CUP OF COFFEE AND WATCH YOU ON THE NEWS. AND, AND WE’RE DOING THAT. WE’RE DOWN AT DEEP CREEK. WE HAVE A HOUSE DOWN THERE. AND I JUST FELT SOMETHING, YOU KNOW, JUST LIKE LESS THAN A SIZE OF A PEA, I WOULD SAY. AND I ASKED MY WIFE, I SAID, WHAT DO YOU WHAT DO YOU THINK OF THIS? AND SHE FELT AND SHE SAID, I THINK YOU SHOULD CALL YOUR DOCTOR ABOUT THAT, WHICH I, I DID. I CALLED HIM THAT DAY. IT WAS A SATURDAY. HE SAID, YOU CAN COME IN NOW IF YOU WANT. AND I SAID, WELL, WE’RE DOWN IN DEEP CREEK. HE SAID, COME IN ON MONDAY. I SAW HIM ON MONDAY AND HE SENT ME TO GET MAMMOGRAM, SONOGRAM. AND WITHIN A WEEK I WAS DIAGNOSED. THEY DID A BIOPSY AND THE DOCTOR THERE CALLED AND SHE SAID IT WAS A CARCINOGEN. AND SO THEY SCHEDULED SURGERY FOR ME. WHAT WAS YOUR FIRST THOUGHT WHEN YOU FELT THAT LUMP? DID YOU THINK THIS MIGHT BE BREAST CANCER, OR WAS THAT THE FURTHEST THING FROM YOUR MIND? YOU KNOW, IT WAS UNUSUAL, AND I THOUGHT I SHOULD GET IT CHECKED OUT, BUT I, I DIDN’T I WASN’T OVERLY NERVOUS THAT IT WOULD BE POSITIVE, BUT IT WAS. WOW. DO YOU HAVE ANY OTHER SYMPTOMS OR JUST THAT LUMP THAT YOU FELT JUST THAT. WOW. YEAH. AND THIS WAS LAST JANUARY. SO IT’S BEEN A LITTLE OVER A YEAR. YOU MENTIONED YOU HAD SURGERY. WHAT WHAT ELSE WAS YOUR TREATMENT PLAN LIKE FROM DOCTORS? WELL, I WENT INTO TO MY SURGEON. HE SAID, WE’RE GOING TO RECOMMEND A COMPLETE MASTECTOMY. AND THAT WAS, LIKE I SAID, IN TWO WEEKS, THAT’S A YEAR. SO HE SCHEDULED THAT. IT WAS ABOUT A A MONTH, A MONTH AND A HALF AHEAD OF TIME, HE SAID. IT WAS VERY SLOW GROWING. SO DON’T BE CONCERNED ABOUT THAT. SO A YEAR AGO, WENT IN, HAD THAT DONE. AND. YEAH, YOU KNOW, YOU’VE BEEN GOOD SINCE THEN. SINCE THAT I’VE BEEN I’VE BEEN GOOD SINCE THEN. AND I HAD, WHEN I WAS DONE WITH THAT, I HAD A TUBE FOR A WHILE, DRAINAGE TUBE AND IT WAS VERY UNCOMFORTABLE. IT WAS ALL WRAPPED UP AND I’VE HAD SYMPTOMS. I STILL HAVE SOME STRANGE THINGS THAT GO ON THERE. LIKE LATELY I HAVE NERVES COMING BACK TOGETHER AND. BUT BUT I’M, I’M THANKFUL, YOU KNOW, THAT A WEEK IT WAS MAYBE TWO WEEKS AFTER SURGERY, I WENT IN TO SEE THE SURGEON. HE SAID, WE GOT EVERYTHING THAT LYMPH NODES TESTED. NEGATIVE. SO YOU’RE CURED. AND I WAS THRILLED BY THAT. AND SHE SAID, WELL, I’LL TELL YOU WHEN YOU’RE CURED, SURGEONS CAN BE KIND OF FUNNY. SO. SO I SAID, I LIKED HIS ANSWER BETTER. RIGHT, RIGHT. THEY’RE GOING TO WATCH YOU CLOSELY, THOUGH, JUST TO MAKE SURE RIGHT NOW YOU’RE A LITTLE, AS WE TALKED ABOUT, JUST ABOUT A YEAR AND A FEW MONTHS PAST THE POINT OF YOUR DIAGNOSIS, WHAT’S YOUR REACTION, LOOKING BACK ON ALL THIS NOW AND HAVING GONE THROUGH BREAST CANCER? WELL, THAT’S WHAT I AT FIRST I WAS KEEPING THINGS PRIVATE AND TELL ANYBODY UNTIL AFTER I HAD SURGERY. I’M KIND OF A PRIVATE PERSON, BUT THEN I HAD PEOPLE START TO, YOU KNOW, WHEN I WOULD TELL SOMEONE INDIVIDUALLY OR WHATEVER, THEY WOULD SAY, A LOT OF TIMES I DIDN’T KNOW THAT COULD HAPPEN. AND, YOU KNOW, THE LAST GUY THIS MAN COLLECTS SCRAP ON TRASH DAY, YOU KNOW, HIS NAME IS MARK. AND I SAID, I GIVE HIM A CALL. I SAID, MARK, I HAVE A FREEZER. AND I COULDN’T HELP HIM MOVE IT BECAUSE I WAS SUPPOSED TO MOVE ANYTHING PAST 10 POUNDS. AND I SAID, I’M SORRY, I CAN’T HELP YOU. I HAD SURGERY AND HE SAID, OH, WHAT FOR? AND I TOLD HIM, HE SAID, MY WIFE DIED OF BREAST CANCER, BUT I DIDN’T KNOW A GUY COULD GET IT. SO I SAID TO KELLY, MAYBE WE SHOULD PUT SOMETHING ON FACEBOOK TO LET PEOPLE KNOW. AND AND THAT’S BASICALLY WHERE WE STARTED. AND, YOU KNOW, WE WANTED TO COME IN MARCH AND WE MET MOLLY THERE AND SHE’S, YOU KNOW, STARTED SETTING ME UP WITH, YOU KNOW, DIFFERENT THINGS SUCH AS THIS. SO, AND IT’S KIND OF RARE, YOU KNOW, IT’S LESS THAN 1% OF GUYS, BUT IT DOES HAPPEN. SO I WOULD TELL PEOPLE, ENCOURAGE THEM THAT, YOU KNOW, IF YOU FEEL ANYTHING UNUSUAL TO GET IT CHECKED OUT RIGHT AWAY. MY ONCOLOGIST SAYS A LOT OF TIMES GUYS WILL NOT THINK ANYTHING OF IT AND THEY’LL LET IT GO A COUPLE OF YEARS, AND A LOT OF TIMES IT’S TOO LATE BY THEN. THAT’S SUCH A GOOD POINT. I THINK WOMEN ARE, YOU KNOW, SO AWARE AND SO HYPER ACTIVE OF WHAT MIGHT BE HAPPENING IN OUR BODIES. BUT MEN, THEY’RE NOT THINKING, OH, I HAVE A LUMP. IT MIGHT BE THEY MIGHT THINK IT’S AN INJURY OR SOMETHING. THE LAST THOUGHT IS PROBABLY BREAST CANCER. SO KIND OF GOING ALONG WITH WHAT YOU WERE SAYING, WHAT WOULD YOU SAY TO MEN? ALTHOUGH THERE IS SUCH A SMALL CHANCE, WHAT WOULD YOU SAY TO THEM TO ENCOURAGE THEM TO GET CHECKED OUT? I IT’S A SMALL CHANCE, BUT IT’S REALLY NOT THAT MUCH OF AN ISSUE. GETTING MAMMOGRAMS. I’M COMFORTABLE FOR A GUY, BUT YOU KNOW, IT’S IT’S A COUPLE OF HOURS OUT OF YOUR DAY TO MAKE SURE THAT YOU’RE, YOU KNOW, THAT YOU’RE SAFE AND TAKEN CARE OF. ABSOLUTELY. WELL, CAN YOU SPEAK TO THE RISK FACTORS FOR MEN GETTING BREAST CANCER AT ALL? WELL, LIKE I SAID, IT’S LESS THAN 1%. I’VE HEARD ONE PERSON TELL ME LESS, ALMOST 1 IN 1000. BUT 1 IN 10,000. THANK YOU. WOW. BUT SO IT’S VERY RARE. WHEN I WENT TO THE. MARCH, I WAS WAS THERE WITH THE SURVIVORS WALKING. THERE HAD TO BE A COUPLE THOUSAND WOMEN AT LEAST. AND ME AND ONE OTHER GUY IN THE WHOLE GROUP. YOU DID MEET ONE OTHER MAN THERE? YES. YEAH. TELL ME ABOUT YOUR EXPERIENCE AT TO BE A PART OF AND INVOLVED WITH HERE AT WTAE AND MEETING INCREDIBLE SURVIVORS LIKE YOURSELF. BUT I WOULD SAY THE VAST MAJORITY OF COURSES, WOMEN AND YOU MIGHT BE THE FIRST MAN I’M TALKING TO INVOLVED IN THAT. SO YOU SAID YOU MET ONE OTHER MAN. WHAT WAS YOUR CONVERSATION WITH HIM LIKE? I SAW ONE, I SAW HIM, OKAY, THIS YEAR I’M GOING TO LOOK HIM UP AND TALK TO HIM. YOU SHOULD. YES. SO. BUT HE WAS SO FAR AWAY AND WE WERE SEPARATED BY BY A CROWD. BUT NO, AS FAR AS THE THE KOMEN MARCH, WE I’LL START WITH THIS FUNDRAISER. WE DID WE WE HAVE THIS KENTUCKY DERBY PARTY. AND KIND OF AS AN AFTERTHOUGHT, KELLY, MY WIFE SAID, I’M GOING TO PUT OUT A DONATION THING. SO SHE ANNOUNCED THAT TO EVERYBODY. AND WE HAVE CLOSE TO 100 PEOPLE COME TO THIS PARTY AND PEOPLE GAVE. AND THEN SHE ASKED MENTIONED THIS ON FACEBOOK AS WELL AS TO WORK PEOPLE. AND THEN HER HER WORK, WHICH WAS THEY GAVE ME THIS CHART, GLOBAL TAX MANAGEMENT. WE BECAME ONE OF THE TOP FUNDRAISERS IN PITTSBURGH. THEY MATCHED ALL THE DONATIONS. SO WE RAISED OVER $5,000. SO WE HAD. AT THE MARCH, WE HAD A TENT THAT WE HAD WITH, YOU KNOW, FOOD, BREAKFAST, FOOD, AND EVERYTHING WAS WAS VERY NICE. MY GRANDKIDS WERE THERE AND MY, MY CHILDREN. SO IT WAS NICE. WE MET ASHLEY, GOT A PICTURE WITH HER, YOU KNOW, SO BUT I VERY MUCH ENJOYED IT. WE. WE DIDN’T KNOW THERE WAS A CONFLICT AND WE CANCELED THEM. I SAID, WE HAVE TO GO TO THIS. YEAH, IT’S A GOOD THING. IS THERE A GENETIC COMPONENT OF BREAST CANCER THERE? THERE VERY MUCH IS A GENETIC COMPONENT TO BREAST CANCER. IN MY CASE, THEY THEY TESTED ME, MY MOTHER AND MY SISTER AND I HAD A COUSIN WHO ALL HAD BREAST CANCER. SO I HAD GENETIC TESTING. IN MY CASE, I CAME BACK NEGATIVE. BUT MY ONCOLOGIST SAYS THERE HAS TO BE SOME CONNECTION THERE THAT THEY DON’T KNOW ABOUT. BUT BUT YEAH, I THINK MY ONCOLOGIST HAD ME GET THE GENETIC TESTING, AND I THINK THAT WOULD BE PRETTY MUCH STANDARD PROCEDURE FOR MOST GUYS. YEAH. WELL, HOW INTERESTING ARE YOU LOOKING FORWARD TO THE KOMEN WALK THIS YEAR? I’M VERY MUCH LOOKING FORWARD TO IT. WE WE HAD A VERY, VERY GOOD, GOOD TIME. WE’VE EXPANDED OUR OUR PARTY TO RAISE EVEN MORE MONEY THIS YEAR. WE’VE GOT SILENT AUCTION ITEMS AND, AND DIFFERENT THINGS LIKE THAT. SO WE HOPE TO BE ONE OF THE TOP FUNDRAISERS AGAIN THIS YEAR. THAT’S AWESOME. I HOPE YOU ARE NOW JUST TWO YEARS AGO, NOT EVEN DID YOU THINK THIS CAUSE WOULD BECOME SO IMPORTANT TO YOU AS IT IS NOW? NO, I, I MEAN, I, I HAD NO, NO IDEA THAT IT WOULD BE. BUT, YOU KNOW, AS WE GET OLDER, WE, WE HAVE A GOOD LIFE. WE LIKE TO GIVE TO VARIOUS PLACES. AND THIS JUST BECAME AN OBVIOUS AFTER I WENT THROUGH THIS, AN OBVIOUS THING TO CONTRIBUTE TO AND, AND BE A PART OF. STILL AHEAD ON. FOR THE RECORD, WE’VE GOT THE ANSWERS TO YOUR QUESTIONS ABOUT THIS YEAR’S KOMEN. PITTSBURGH MORE THAN PINK WALK. WELCOME BACK TO. FOR THE RECORD, AS I TOLD YOU AT THE START OF THE SHOW, WE’RE JUST ONE WEEK AWAY FROM THE ANNUAL KOMEN PITTSBURGH MORE THAN PINK WALK HAPPENING NEXT SUNDAY MORNING IN SCHENLEY PARK. TAKE A LOOK NOW AT MY SIT DOWN WITH ONE OF THE FOLKS FROM KOMEN PITTSBURGH AS WE TALK ABOUT WHY THIS ANNUAL EVENT IS SO IMPORTANT TO WOMEN AND MEN DEALING WITH BREAST CANCER RIGHT HERE IN PITTSBURGH AND BEYOND. WELL, IF YOU CAN JUST START BY WALKING US THROUGH THE HISTORY OF THE MORE THAN PINK WALK. OH, SURE. ABSOLUTELY. IT’S A GREAT HISTORY, ESPECIALLY HERE IN PITTSBURGH. MANY FOLKS REMEMBER THE RACE FOR THE CURE, AND THAT IS STILL KOMEN. WE’RE THE SAME KOMEN. WE STILL ACTUALLY OWN THAT BRAND. IT’S DONE IN LARGER MARKETS NOW. I REALLY LOVE THE MORE THAN PINK WALK THAT WE’VE BEEN DOING FOR ABOUT A DECADE NOW. I LOVE IT BECAUSE IT’S NOT ONLY OUR LARGEST FUNDRAISING EVENT, WHICH OF COURSE IT IS, BUT BECAUSE THERE’S NO BARRIER TO ENTRY. IT’S FREE FOR ALL. IT’S TRULY OUR LARGEST COMMUNITY EVENT, SO THEREFORE WE CAN REALLY CELEBRATE. IT’S A VERY CELEBRATORY EVENT FOR OUR SURVIVORS AND THE WHOLE BREAST CANCER COMMUNITY HERE IN PITTSBURGH, WHICH IS QUITE THRIVING AND ON MANY FRONTS. GO AHEAD. AND I KNOW YOU MENTIONED IT’S A CELEBRATION. WE CERTAINLY FEEL THAT TOO, AS ALL OF US HERE AT WTAE ATTEND EACH YEAR. I’M LOOKING FORWARD TO IT MYSELF THIS YEAR. WHAT CAN WE LOOK FORWARD TO FOR THE WALK? THEY JUST KEEP GETTING BIGGER AND BETTER. WE’VE ADDED A LOWER LEVEL OF A LOWER BARRIER TO ENTRY, AS IT WERE, FOR SPONSORSHIP. SO WE HAVE NINE COMMUNITY SPONSORS IN A NEW COMMUNITY TABLING TENT. WE’RE CELEBRATING OUR KOMEN LEGENDS FROM 2025 AND THIS YEAR, 2026. THOSE ARE ALL FUNDRAISERS OF THE WALK OR RACE SERIES THAT HAVE RAISED OVER $2,500 THEMSELVES. WE’RE GOING TO HAVE SOME SPECIAL ACTIVATIONS AROUND THEM. THEY ARE THE ONES THAT REALLY HELP DRIVE OUR MISSION FORWARD. CAN YOU TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT HOW YOU’VE SEEN IT GROWN OVER THE LAST YOU MENTIONED TEN YEARS. YES. I’VE BEEN WITH SUSAN G. KOMEN IN MAY FOR OUR WALK. IT WILL BE MY FIFTH YEAR, AND SINCE I BEGAN, IT WAS POST PANDEMIC. SO IT’S BEEN VERY SORT OF FROM GRASSROOTS TO FINALLY FLYING. IT FEELS LIKE THE EVENT HAS REALLY TAKEN SHAPE AND REALLY CREATING MORE AND MORE TRADITIONS OVER AND OVER AGAIN. EVERYONE KNOWS ABOUT THE PATHWAY OF HOPE, WITH ALL OF THE SURVIVORS COMING UP FROM THE HOPE VILLAGE DOWN TO THE FRONT TO GREET, TO WTAE TO KICK OFF THAT WONDERFUL PROGRAM AND THEN INTO THE WALK. SO IT’S A VERY GREAT DAY. I DO NEED YOU TO BRING THE SUNSHINE. YES, THAT’S ABSOLUTELY. WE’RE GOING TO MAKE SURE SHE DOES GET ON THE CASE. SHE USUALLY SHE USUALLY IS GOOD WITH THAT. I’VE BEEN A COUPLE OF YEARS. THE COUPLE TALKS HAVE BEEN BEAUTIFUL FOR US, AND I KNOW EXACTLY WHAT YOU’RE TALKING ABOUT, WHERE WE SEND ALL THE THE WALKERS AND RUNNERS OFF. IT’S SO JOYOUS AND SO MUCH FUN AND JUST IT’S ALL THE FEELS, ALL THE FEELS, ALL THE POSITIVITY OF THE DAY FOR SURE. AND OF COURSE, EVERYONE’S THERE TO RAISE MONEY FOR SUCH A GREAT CAUSE. LET’S TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT WHERE THAT MONEY GOES. THAT’S A GREAT QUESTION. I GET ASKED OFTEN. SO KOMEN HAS A 360 DEGREE APPROACH TO CARE. THERE ARE MANY FORMS OF BREAST CANCER, AND ONE OUT OF EIGHT WOMEN IN THEIR LIFETIME WILL HEAR THE WORDS, YOU HAVE BREAST CANCER. AND ONE OUT OF 10,000 MEN. WE HAVE LEARNED. AND SO THE MONEY GOES TO OUR FOUR PILLARS RESEARCH. HERE IN PITTSBURGH, WE HAVE A HUGE FUNDING HAND AND HAVE FOR OVER 40 YEARS IN PENNSYLVANIA AS A STATE, 191 GRANTS FUNDED TO THE TUNE OF OVER $70 MILLION AND CURRENTLY ACTIVE IN PENNSYLVANIA. WE HAVE TEN RESEARCH GRANTS, WHICH ESTIMATE TO BE ABOUT $4 MILLION. A LOT OF THE WORK AND ALL THE THERAPEUTICS ON THE MARKET THAT ARE LEADING TO MANY CURES AND LIVING WITH METASTATIC BREAST CANCER MUCH LONGER, HAVE A FUNDING HAND RIGHT HERE IN PITTSBURGH. THAT’S FANTASTIC. YOU MENTIONED HOW 1 IN 10,000 MEN DIAGNOSED WITH BREAST CANCER. WE SPOKE WITH ONE OF THOSE MEN WHO RIGHT HERE IN PITTSBURGH GOT DIAGNOSED WITH BREAST CANCER. AND HE DID SUCH A WONDERFUL JOB WHEN NOBODY SAID IT WAS ANYTHING, BECAUSE I WOULD HAVE SAID THE SAME THING TO MY HUSBAND. OH, IT’S PROBABLY A CYST OR AN INGROWN HAIR OR SOMETHING. AND HERE HE IS CURED BECAUSE HE CAUGHT IT EARLY. SO EARLY DETECTION IS THE KEY. AND KNOWING YOUR GENETICS, AND THAT’S WHAT GEORGE IS GOING TO SPEAK ABOUT AT OUR WALK THIS YEAR. HE’S ONE OF OUR SPEAKERS. I’M SO GLAD. WE CAN’T WAIT TO HEAR FROM HIM. AND I’M GLAD YOU MENTIONED THOSE POINTS. I THINK IT’S IMPORTANT JUST FOR PEOPLE TO KNOW NOT JUST WOMEN, BUT MEN, TO LOOK OUT FOR THE SIGNS. AND DON’T BE AFRAID TO KNOW YOUR NORMAL. THAT’S WHAT WE SAY. JUST KNOW. KNOW YOUR BODY. KNOW WHAT FEELS NORMAL. YOU KNOW WHEN SOMETHING IS OFF. A LOT OF TIMES WE SMASH THAT DOWN. WE SHOULD BE OUR OWN ADVOCATES AND ASK TO BE SEEN AND MAKE SURE THAT EVERYTHING IS OKAY. I AGREE, THAT’S SUCH A GOOD POINT. NOW, YOU’VE BEEN INVOLVED FOR FIVE YEARS. WHAT’S ONE STORY, SURVIVOR STORY THAT REALLY STICKS OUT TO YOU IN YOUR MIND AFTER ALL THESE YEARS? MY GOODNESS, THERE ARE SO, SO MANY. I WOULD SAY KIND OF UNILATERALLY. WHAT HAS STOOD OUT TO ME IS HOW MUCH YOUNGER THE DISEASE STATE IS GETTING. WE’VE HAD SPEAKERS IN THEIR 30S OVER THE PAST SEVERAL YEARS, AND WE USUALLY HAVE A STAGE ONE THROUGH THREE AND A METASTATIC, SO THAT’S QUITE YOUNG TO BE IN YOUR 30S. WE’VE WE’VE TALKED WITH HERE, MARIA COSTA, COURTNEY STERLING, THESE YOUNG WOMEN ARE INCREDIBLY BRAVE. BUT THOSE STORIES, OF COURSE, STICK WITH ME WHEN WE HAVE TO TALK ABOUT FERTILITY ISSUES AND FREEZING EGGS AND RECONSTRUCTION AND DELAYS ON RECONSTRUCTION. IT’S IT’S CHALLENGING AT ANY AGE. BUT I WOULD IMAGINE IN YOUR 30S, IT WOULD BE AMAZINGLY DEVASTATING. WE JUST GOT A TEN YEAR STUDY BACK ABOUT A YEAR AGO FROM THE AMERICAN CANCER SOCIETY, AND IT STATED THAT MORE WOMEN OVER THE PAST TEN YEARS HAVE BEEN DIAGNOSED WITH BREAST CANCER UNDER THE AGE OF 50 THAN OVER. I QUITE LITERALLY HAD TO READ THAT SENTENCE TWICE. EVERYONE SAYS TO ME WHY? I WISH I KNEW WHY, RIGHT? BUT IT’S PROBABLY A COMBINATION OF THINGS AND WE’RE WORKING VERY, VERY HARD TO MEET THE DISEASE STATE WHERE IT IS. YEAH, THAT IS A SHOCKING STATISTIC. IT IS A SHOCKING STATISTIC TO HEAR THAT. YEAH. NOW WITH THE WALK COMING UP PRETTY SOON HERE, WHAT CAN YOU SAY TO SOMEONE WHO’S MAYBE WATCHING AND THINKING, OH, I MAY WHAT WOULD YOU SAY TO THEM? OH MY GOSH, PLEASE COME. FIRST OF ALL, YOU CAN COME THAT MORNING. IT’S FREE TO REGISTER. JUST HIT OUR REGISTRATION AND SIGN IN. WE HAVE A BEAUTIFUL NEW GNC IS OUR NEW PRESENTING SPONSOR BASED HERE IN PITTSBURGH. THEY’RE GOING TO HAVE A VERY FUN WARM UP FOR US. WE HAVE ALL SORTS OF ACTIVITIES, AND WE’RE GOING TO HAVE A VIP VILLAGE THIS YEAR FOR ALL TEAMS THAT RAISE $5,000 OR MORE, GET TENT, AND IN HOPE VILLAGE, OUR FAVORITE TENT OF ALL. WE HAVE SOME WONDERFUL TREATS, PRIZES, GIVEAWAYS, FRIENDSHIP BRACELETS, FLOWERS AND LOVE FOR ALL OF OUR SURVIVORS. WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THEY ALL GATHER THERE BY 845 BEFORE THE FESTIVITIES BEGIN. YES, WHAT ELSE WOULD YOU LIKE TO ADD? WHAT ARE WE MISSING? THE GOAL IN PITTSBURGH IS TO RAISE $375,000 TOWARDS OUR MISSION ACROSS THE STATE WITH PHILADELPHIA ON MAY 30TH. TOGETHER COMBINED, WE’RE LOOKING TO RAISE $725,000 ACROSS THE STATE TO END BREAST CANCER. AND WHERE DOES THAT NUMBER FALL? IS THAT THE HIGHEST GOAL WE’VE SEEN IN RECENT YEARS? YES, YES, YES IT IS. AND WE’RE IN PITTSBURGH IS DOING VERY WELL. WE’RE ON TRACK. WE’RE DOING GREAT. AWESOME. FINGERS CROSSED THAT WE HIT THAT NUMBER FOR SURE. AND YOU’LL WANT TO KEEP YOUR TV HERE ON WTAE CHANNEL 4 BECAUSE WE WILL HAVE COVERAGE FROM THIS YEAR’S KOMEN PITTSBURGH MORE THAN PINK WALK NEXT SUNDAY MORNING DURING PITTSBURGH’S ACTION NEWS FOUR, AND ALSO ONLINE@WTAE.COM. AND OUR TAE APP. AND KEEP IT HERE BECAUSE I’VE GOT AN EARLY LOOK AT OUR NEXT TWO EPISODES OF. FOR THE RECORD COMING UP JUST AFTER THIS BREAK. FOR THE RECORD, STARTING NEXT SUNDAY MORNING, A TWO PART EDITION OF FOR THE RECORD, ALL FOCUSED ON THE LEGACY OF PITTSBURGH’S FAVORITE NEIGHBOR, THE LATE FRED ROGERS. WE SPEAK WITH THE DIRECTOR OF LEARNING AND EDUCATION FOR FRED ROGERS PRODUCTIONS, ALL ABOUT THE NEW WAYS TO WATCH PAST EPISODES OF HIS SHOW, INCLUDING ON YOUTUBE, AND HOW MISTER ROGERS PHILOSOPHIES HAVE STOOD THE TEST OF TIME. YOU KNOW, I GREW UP WITH MISTER ROGERS, AND IT WAS SUCH AN HONOR TO TAKE THIS ROLE. I THINK ABOUT THE MOMENTS THAT HE HAD, OF COURSE, ON SCREEN, BUT ALSO OFF OF SCREEN. AND SO, YES, WE HAVE THOSE SAME INTENTIONALITY WITH THOSE EDUCATION ADVISORS AND CHILD DEVELOPMENT LENS. THAT’S DEFINITELY WITH ALL OF OUR PROGRAMING. THAT AUTHENTICITY IS STILL THERE. BUT THEN WHEN WE GO OUT INTO THE NEIGHBORHOOD AND MEET NEIGHBORS AND MEET THEM WHERE THEY ARE, THAT IS WHERE I REALLY FEEL IN MY PERSONAL WALK IN THIS ORGANIZATION. I FEEL VERY CONNECTED TO THE LEGACY, MEETING THEM, INSTILLING AND REMINDING THEM OF THE CORE MESSAGES THAT HE PUT OUT, WHICH IS THERE’S NO ONE IN THE WHOLE WORLD LIKE YOU, AND I LIKE YOU JUST THE WAY YOU ARE AND HOW THAT IS STILL RELEVANT TODAY, SO RELEVANT TODAY THAT I FEEL LIKE IT’S INTERPRETED IN DIFFERENT WAYS. I HAD A PRINCIPAL, MY FIRST PRINCIPAL TOLD ME WHEN I WAS TEACHING, THEY AIN’T LEAVING THE GOOD ONES AT HOME. THEY’RE SENDING THEIR BEST. WHICH IS REALLY JUST ANOTHER WAY OF SAYING THERE’S NO ONE IN THE WHOLE WORLD LIKE ALL THESE CHILDREN, AND WE LIKE THEM JUST THE WAY THEY ARE. AND SO WHEN I GO MEET WITH TEACHERS, I REMIND THEM THEY’RE NOT LEAVING THE GOOD ONES AT HOME, AS MY FIRST PRINCIPAL TOLD ME. BUT THAT ALSO THEY ARE ACCEPTED AND BEAUTIFUL AS THEY ARE. PLUS, WE SPEAK WITH MR. MCFEELY HIMSELF, ACTOR DAVID NEWELL, ABOUT HIS ADVENTURE INTO PODCASTING AND HOW THAT’S INSPIRING MORE YOUNG CHILDREN TO READ. BE SURE TO TUNE IN FOR THIS TWO PART. FOR THE RECORD, STARTING NEXT SUNDAY MORNING AT 11:00, RIGHT HERE ON WTAE CHANNEL FOUR. AND THAT’S ALL FOR THIS WEEK’S EDITION OF FOR THE RECORD. REMEMBER, IF YOU HAVE A TOPIC YOU’D LIKE US TO ADDRESS, JUST SEND US AN EMAIL THAT IS AT NEWS@TAE.COM. YOU CAN ALSO REWATCH THIS EPISODE OR ANY EPISODE WITH THE VERY LOCAL APP ON YOUR SMARTPHONE, TABLET, OR SMART TV. THANKS FOR JOINING US ON THIS SUNDAY MORNING. HAVE A GREAT WEEK.
Pittsburgh’s 34th Komen More than Pink Walk set for Sunday
Updated: 10:03 AM EDT May 15, 2026
Pittsburgh’s Action News 4 is a proud sponsor of the Komen More than Pink Walk, aimed at bringing awareness, offering support, and raising money for research with the goal of a cure for breast cancer.Video above: ‘Celebratory event for our survivors:’ Komen Pittsburgh’s More Than Pink Walk Sunday marks the 34th More than Pink Walk, formerly known as The Race for the Cure. The walk will be held at Schenley Park, with events opening at 8 a.m.An opening ceremony will take place at 9 a.m.It is estimated over 13,000 women are diagnosed with breast cancer in Pennsylvania. The organization is hoping to raise $375,000.Learn more about the Susan G. Komen More than Pink Walk. MORE THAN PINK WALK SCHEDULE 8 a.m. – Event site & onsite registration opens8:45 a.m. – Survivors, those currently in treatment, and those living with MBC meet at Hope Village9 a.m. – Pathway of Hope Procession & Opening Ceremony9:30 a.m. – Walk beginsRELATED: Walking to remember and to educate in the Pittsburgh More Than Pink Walk
Pittsburgh’s Action News 4 is a proud sponsor of the Komen More than Pink Walk, aimed at bringing awareness, offering support, and raising money for research with the goal of a cure for breast cancer.
Video above: ‘Celebratory event for our survivors:’ Komen Pittsburgh’s More Than Pink Walk
Sunday marks the 34th More than Pink Walk, formerly known as The Race for the Cure. The walk will be held at Schenley Park, with events opening at 8 a.m.
An opening ceremony will take place at 9 a.m.
It is estimated over 13,000 women are diagnosed with breast cancer in Pennsylvania.
The organization is hoping to raise $375,000.
Learn more about the Susan G. Komen More than Pink Walk.
MORE THAN PINK WALK SCHEDULE 8 a.m. – Event site & onsite registration opens
8:45 a.m. – Survivors, those currently in treatment, and those living with MBC meet at Hope Village
9 a.m. – Pathway of Hope Procession & Opening Ceremony
9:30 a.m. – Walk begins
RELATED: Walking to remember and to educate in the Pittsburgh More Than Pink Walk