Vancouver, WA – Pink Lemonade Project is gearing up for the 18th Annual Girlfriends Walk/Run on Oct. 13 in partnership with WHY Racing Events on the beautiful Vancouver Waterfront. Nearly 2,000 people will come together to celebrate, honor, and pay tribute to those affected by breast cancer. The event raises important awareness about breast health and dollars to support Pink Lemonade Project’s programs and services.
Breast cancer is a leading cause of major illness and death of women, especially women of color. Today, 1 in 7 women in the Northwest will be diagnosed with breast cancer in their lifetime, and 1% of men will get breast cancer too. About 10-15% of cases are related to family history, and 20-30% will experience a recurrence. This year alone, 42,000-48,000 women will die in the U.S.
“The need for breast health education, programs, and services has never been greater. Pink Lemonade Project is making a significant impact by evolving and growing to fill gaps by working alongside healthcare systems, BIPOC and community-facing organizations, and Community Health Workers to help improve access and increase survivorship and quality of life for those impacted by this devastating disease. Since cancer support programming has not returned to pre-pandemic levels and the cost of living is higher than ever, patients in cancer treatment today need more support through their diagnosis, treatment, recovery, and beyond.” said Susan Stearns, Pink Lemonade Project Chief Executive Officer.
Since 2020, the need for Pink Lemonade Project programs and services has increased by 196 percent. Girlfriends is an important community event to bring together those affected by breast cancer and raise funds for patients and their families.
“Our partnership with Pink Lemonade Project has personal meaning for me. The Girlfriends event was created to honor and support my mother, Joleen Skarberg who was diagnosed with breast cancer 18 years ago and continues to run in the event every year with her daughters, sisters, nieces, cousins, and girlfriends,” said Karissa Schoene, owner of Why Racing Events.
The Girlfriends event offers a half marathon, 10K, and 6K. People are encouraged to sign up and make a donation. All registration details are available at whyracingevents.com/girlfriends-run/.
About Pink Lemonade Project
Pink Lemonade Project, founded in 2010 by Drs. Allen & Cassie Gabriel, educates, empowers, and supports all communities affected by breast cancer. The purpose is to provide the region, newly diagnosed patients, survivors, those living with Metastatic Breast Cancer, and their families with programs and services to enable them to navigate their breast cancer journey. Pink Lemonade Project supported 3,195 people last year with a budget of more than 1.95 million dollars. Learnmore at pinklemonadeproject.org