With a time of 23:07.23, Jamie Rogers, a five-year breast cancer survivor, beamed as she clenched the Top Survivor running time this past Saturday, June 9, 2012, at the 22nd Annual Susan G. Komen North Texas Plano Race for the Cure®. 

Jamie shared, “When my doctor first found the lump, I was just 27. My doctor didn’t believe the lump was any big deal, but wanted me to get it checked anyway. The radiologist was convinced the lump was not cancer, and proposed three options: don’t do anything, come back in 6 months to check progression, or biopsy. I am so glad I chose to biopsy the lump because if had I waited, my stage 1 diagnosis could have been much worse. Early detection is key to saving lives.”

People like Jamie are the reason why we Race for the Cure. This event is the largest source of funding for the North Texas Affiliate of Susan G. Komen for the Cure. It allows us to pay for local breast health services like education, mammography, surgery, chemotherapy and radiation treatment and patient navigation (75%) and national scientific research (25%). 

Through events like the Komen North Texas Plano Race for the Cure, the Komen North Texas Affiliate has invested $9 million in local breast health programs in Collin, Cooke, Denton, Fannin, Grayson, Hunt, Montague and Wise counties and $2 million in national scientific research.

“Texas leads the nation in uninsured residents. The breast cancer diagnosis rate here is higher than the Texas state average and there is not a single county hospital in our eight-county service area,” said Mary Frances Hoover, Executive Director of Susan G. Komen for the Cure North Texas. “We’re looking at more than 1,200 new cases and around 200 people to die from breast cancer in our service area this year. This is why the good work of Komen North Texas is so critical.  We don’t just raise awareness about the importance of early detection; we also invest in life-saving breast health programs for North Texans who would not otherwise receive care.”

This year, nearly 9,000 people attended the Plano Race for the Cure, which includes the hundreds of volunteers who helped make the day possible. Participants had the option of running/walking either the Competitive 5K, the Casual 5K Run/Walk, and the 1 Mile Family Fun Run. Before the Competitive and Casual 5Ks, representatives from 24-Hour Fitness led the runners in a Warm-Up between interviews with several of the event’s sponsors. Runners wore Race day t-shirts, team t-shirts, and every imaginable pink item:  socks, shorts, hats, and tutus.

Among the participants was Sunny Sinclair, this year’s Honorary Race Chair and former contestant on The Biggest Loser, Season 12.  Sunny is a wife, mother, and school teacher in Frisco, Texas.  She, along with friends and family, participated in the 5K.  “Competing on The Biggest Loser was one of the most challenging and rewarding experiences of my life—it taught me how to lead a healthier lifestyle.  Part of healthy living is eating right, exercising, and getting those yearly mammograms.  Often, women are so focused on taking care of everyone else in their lives that they forget to take care of themselves.  I’m glad I got to participate in the Plano Race to spread the message that everyone, regardless of age or background, deserves a lifetime.”

We’ve reached approximately $618,000 of our $800,000 overall fundraising goal for the Plano Race, which includes cash sponsorships, registration fees and participant fundraising. Our deadline is July 15, so there is still plenty of time to fundraise.  If everyone gave an additional $31, we would be able to meet our goal. This could help pay for approximately 1,200 more mammograms for North Texans.

Story and photos courtesy of Susan G. Komen for the Cure North Texas Affiliate