Denver makes it a 3-peat

65,395 race participants raise funds, awareness for breast cancer

Julie Poppen, Rocky Mountain News

Published October 9, 2006 at midnight

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Organizers say 65,395 walkers and runners took to the streets Sunday for the 14th Komen Denver Race for the Cure, making it the nation's largest for the third year in a row.

That figure includes more than 3,500 breast cancer survivors who helped bring in more than $1 million for breast cancer research, education and support - or, as organizers say, "mammograms, mastectomies and mortgage payments."

Total contributions, including sponsorships, from the 5K run/walk, are expected to climb to $3 million, up from $2.8 million last year, event spokeswoman Dana Brandorff said.

One woman, diagnosed one week ago, showed up this year with $26,000 she had raised, Brandorff said.

"We had a three-peat, which we like," Brandorff said of the nation- topping attendance. "St. Louis is really giving us a run for the money. In June, they had 64,585 (participants)."

Since the beginning, the race and the Denver affiliate of the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation have given more than $17 million to Denver-area nonprofits.

"We're fortunate we're in this community because people truly care," Brandorff said.

Marilyn Saltzman, president of the board of Komen's Denver affiliate, urged all attendees to come back next year.

"We're almost as big as a Broncos game," Saltzman said. "If every single one of you grab a friend and come next year, we'll kick their butts."

All participants in the co-ed or women's 5K walk/run or the one- mile family walk featured some degree of pink, if not in clothing then in eyes stained from tears.

There were happy moments for those who have successfully fought the disease, and sad ones for those who have died.

Many participants wore cards pinned to their backs commemorating loved ones.

There were elaborately decorated pink cowboy hats, pink foam crowns and stylish pink wigs cut in bobs.

"We're out here to support friends and family," said family walk participant Michelle DeGray, 31, of Parker. "It's an emotional thing seeing so many people come out for such a good cause."

DeGray's 9-year-old twin daughters picked out new, hot pink sweat suits for the occasion. Mom got stuck with purple.

"Unfortunately, they didn't have one for mommy," she said.

As in years past, anti-abortion protesters staked out a section of the race course to assert a link between abortions and breast cancer. According to the National Cancer Institute, however, having an abortion or miscarriage does not increase a woman's risk of developing breast cancer.

Many businesses stepped up to support the breast cancer cause.

Of 925 teams, the U.S. Postal Service had the most employees participating: 1,100.

After the race, musicians played on a main stage near the Pepsi Center.

Then, survivors filled a stand of bleachers, beginning with those who have survived up to five years and ending with those who have survived more than 20 years.

In 1983, the year the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation was founded, the breast cancer survival rate was only 14 percent. Today, the survival rate is 86 percent, due in large part to improved breast cancer screening and treatment regimens.

As the survivors took the stands Sunday, Queen's hit We Are the Champions blasted from nearby speakers and cheers erupted from the audience.

A giant pink ribbon made of balloons hovered above rows of survivors wearing pink caps.

After recognizing some individual racers, white doves were released. They swirled and looped above the crowd.

Then a woman's voice came on the speaker: "Please know that love is stronger than death. What you've done here today will last forever."

Some tears were shed.

The music played.

And people headed home to rest their feet for next year.

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