Spokane7
65°
April 18, 2011 in City
Sixth annual Komen race has Spokane awash in pink
9,000 strong against cancer
Sisters Debbie Diettert, of Spokane, and Cheryl Troutwine, of Missoula, pose for a family member during the survivors photo before the race.
(Full-size photo)(All photos)
About 9,000 people painted downtown Spokane pink Sunday in the annual Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure.
Now in its sixth year, the event will raise roughly $500,000. Seventy-five percent of the money will be distributed to breast cancer awareness programs or mammography testing in Eastern Washington. The other 25 percent goes to the national Susan G. Komen for The Cure Foundation, the world’s largest breast cancer organization.
“What’s so great is seeing all kinds of people dressing up in bright colors,” said Alison Liaboe, the event’s marketing chair.
“Lots of teams wear bright pink wigs. And a lot of men do the run wearing pink tutus,” she said.
About 700 walkers or runners also wore pink survivor shirts given to them by the Eastern Washington chapter of the Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure. Liaboe said it’s likely the number of cancer survivors in the event is greater than 700.
The total of all participants Sunday was very close to last year’s race, when 8,800 took part, Liaboe said.
Participants either walked or ran the one mile or the five-kilometer course that started and ended in downtown.
Taking part were Spokane Mayor Mary Verner and U.S. Sen. Maria Cantwell, D-Wash., who was in Spokane for a number of events. Both ran in the race, Liaboe said.
Another participant Sunday was Spokane resident Carol Dellinger. A dental assistant and motivational speaker, Dellinger was diagnosed with breast cancer more than a year ago.
Dellinger, who’s finished 250 marathons, is known as the “marathon warrior,” Liaboe said.
Money for research and mammography tests comes from race entries and funds pledged to participating teams.
Garco awarded $35.8 million Joint Base Lewis-McChord contract 
windski25msncom1 on April 18 at 12:31 a.m.
Congratulations to all those who participated.
Could we now though consider that other types of cancer affect women. In fact, 26% of the deaths from cancer in women are from lung cancer while 15% are from breast. Colon and rectal cancer cause the third greatest number of deaths from cancer. Breast cancer garners the most media attention, but don’t forget the rest of us would like a chance to live too.
johnclarke on April 18 at 6:47 a.m.
Why do you have to take something very positive and inspiring and then say “more woman die from something else” ? You can be involved in whatever support group you like, please do. Did you ever consider that all of the attention to this topic has reduced the death rate from BC?
http://www.cdc.gov/cancer/breast/statistics/
http://www.imaginis.com/breast-health/breast-cancer-statistics-on-incidence-survival-and-screening-2
Great turnout and great event. Thank you everyone.
opiemuyo on April 18 at 10:08 a.m.
Such a good thing, perhaps next year they will stop providing funding to Planned Parenthood and I can help too!
johnclarke on April 18 at 1:24 p.m.
Thank you opiemyuo, for taking a wonderful event and smearing it with your unrelated blather. Guess who found my friend’s breast cancer?