Komen event supports research, services
We at Susan G. Komen Maryland wish to express our gratitude to all who participated in and supported the fifth annual Ocean City Race for the Cure 2016. This year’s event was held Saturday, Apr. 16 – a warm sunny spring day that brought out more than 2,000 participants and spectators along resort’s Boardwalk, Pier and Inlet race village.
We are extremely grateful to Maryland Sen. James Mathias, who was recognized as honorary chairman. Mathias spoke from the main stage in the race village and again from the starting line stage prior to the race, inspiring the gathered race participants with his enthusiasm and energy for the cause.
Komen Maryland staff and Board would like to express our great appreciation to Mayor Rick Meehan and the Ocean City Town Council and agencies, including Parks and Recreation, Public Works, Public Safety and Transportation, for making this event possible. These many individuals enable us to utilize town resources such as the inlet parking lot and Boardwalk for our event. They assisted in creating a safe environment for the many race attendees. We offer special thanks to resort Councilwoman Mary Knight for her continued support during the past five years, and for taking part as a speaker on the main stage to announce the Parade of Pink, which honors more than 200 survivors.
It is through the cooperation of the town, many generous local business sponsors, Sparks Productions, committee members and volunteers that Komen Maryland is able to create a successful annual event, which raised $175,000 this year.
Read about other breast cancer fundraisers in the area
Income from the race supports local grant-funded breast health programs across the state of Maryland, providing direct support for breast cancer education, screenings, diagnosis and treatment, as well as support for survivors and their families.
Komen Maryland also contributes a portion of all income from the race series to clinical research at national institutions, including Maryland-based hospitals such as Johns Hopkins University and University of Maryland Medical Center.
We are proud to acknowledge that since 1998, Komen Maryland has invested more than $4.2 million in programs specifically serving the Eastern Shore of Maryland. These programs provide everything from education, screening, treatment and survivor support to access to clinical trials for women right here on the Eastern Shore affected by breast cancer.
As a breast cancer survivor living on the Eastern Shore, I continue to be inspired and energized by all the families and teams who work to make this event a success. Their drive to make a difference in the lives of their loved ones shines with exuberance and enthusiasm on race day, as we all gather to run or walk with the “promise of a world without breast cancer” in our minds and hearts.
As a staff member of Komen Maryland, I have the great privilege of seeing where and how our contributions touch individuals in our local community every day, and how we further the science to make the advances possible so there will be even more survivors, better outcomes and a future where no one will die from breast cancer.
Lori Yates is community health manager for Komen Maryland. Visit www.komenmd.org for additional information.