Local cancer walk raises $50,000

Date: 10/17/2014

WESTFIELD – More than 500 Pioneer Valley residents rallied together Sunday at Stanley Park for the American Cancer Society’s Making Strides Against Breast Cancer community walk, raising $50,000.

While significant progress in the fight against the disease has been made, more needs to be done. Breast cancer remains the most common cancer among women in the U.S. other than skin cancer, and is the second leading cause of cancer death after lung cancer. The chance of a woman developing invasive breast cancer at some time in her life is about 1 in 8. In 2014, approximately 232,670 women will be diagnosed with breast cancer and more than 40,000 will die from the disease in the U.S.

Since 1993, Making Strides Against Breast Cancer has been the American Cancer Society’s rallying cry to build awareness and generate funds to fight breast cancer. In that time, 10 million walkers in nearly 300 communities across the nation have collected over $594 million.

With one in every two newly diagnosed women turning to the American Cancer Society for help and support, Making Strides Against Breast Cancer funds are used to make a difference by helping people take steps to reduce their risk of breast cancer or find it early when it is most treatable; investing in groundbreaking cancer research to find, prevent, treat, and cure the disease; providing free information and services to help people facing breast cancer when and where they need it including transportation, lodging, wigs, support programs, financial assistance, and more; and ensuring access to mammograms for women who need them.

For additional details about Making Strides Against Breast Cancer and how you can get involved visit makingstrideswalk.org.

For free breast cancer information and resources visit the American Cancer Society’s website at cancer.org or call 800-227-2345 any time day or night.