The Making Strides of Mansfield walk is the American Breast Cancer Society’s 3rd annual event locally, and they need volunteers. There are many ways to be involved in the event – team leader, committee member, day of event volunteer, including set up – just to name a few. A committee meeting will be held today, Thursday, May 15, at the Med Central Radiation Therapy Conference Room beginning at 5:30 p.m. Interested volunteers are encouraged to attend.
This is actually the 22nd year for the Making Strides Against Breast Cancer event nationwide, and teams are already forming. MedCentral Health System and Graham Chevrolet Autonall were flagship sponsors last year. And MedCentral had four teams comprised of over 100 people. The goal for Making Strides of Mansfield this year is 1,000 walkers. MedCentral can perhaps looks for some healthy competition from Avita Health Systems.
The walk is the largest network of breast cancer awareness events in the nation with more than 300 communities participating. They raise more than $60 million for the American Cancer Society every year to save lives from breast cancer. Every dollar raised helps the fight. The fight is indeed making strides with a decrease of 34 percent in breast cancer deaths since 1989.
Money raised helped establish mammography as the standard for breast cancer screening, discovered treatments, discovered genes that cause breast cancer, and confirmed causes like body weight, lack of exercise, and alcohol use.
The walk will be held Saturday, Oct. 25 at the Richland Carrousel Park. Last year Making Strides of Mansfield had more than 600 participants and raised $31,000. But planning starts now and volunteers are encouraged to attend today’s meeting.
