SAN DIEGO (KGTV)- Thousands of survivors laced up their walking shoes this morning to support breast cancer survivors and others battling the disease.
The annual Susan G. Women San Diego Race for the Cure was held in Balboa Park this morning. The main focus of the event is to bring awareness to breast cancer.
Organizers say early detections and knowing your family health history can save your life.
“When I was 10 my mom was diagnosed with breast cancer. So I’ve been really diligent throughout my whole life in getting mammograms," Survivor Merrilee Neal says. Komen San Diego offers a number of free resources, including free mammograms.
“I am a recipient of the Susan G Komen free mammograms and that’s where my breast cancer was detected,’ says survivor Wendy Shurelds.
In San Diego, six women are diagnosed with breast cancer each day. The state of California and the Komen Foundation teamed up for an initiative, called “The Circle of Promise,” to educate women.
“The Circle of Promise was created for African American women, due to the fact that the African American women mortality rate is 41% higher in San Diego than any other race.”
The goal for the event was $915,000. The funds raised are used to support patients around San Diego county and research in the U.S.
