Still time to register for Denton’s first Komen Race on Saturday

by Ashley Grant of North Texas Daily

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Registration for the competitive 5-km race, casual 5K run/walk, and one-mile family fun run ranges from $10 to $30.

DENTON — Denton is going pink this Saturday at South Lakes Park for Susan G. Komen North Texas’ yearly Race for the Cure, an event dedicated to raising awareness and money for breast cancer research and education.

“[The race] is based on hope, and it’s a time for lots of people to get together to celebrate those who have been fighting breast cancer and those who have passed on because of it,” said Hannah Beaty, marketing and communications specialist for the North Texas affiliate of Susan G. Komen for the Cure, which formed in 1982 and is the largest and most well-known breast cancer organization in the U.S.

Registration prices range from $10 to $30, and those interested can register online or anytime after 6 a.m. the day of the race.

Beaty said the organization is expecting to see about 2,500 participants at South Lakes Park in Denton. Last year, 2,200 people took part in the Race for the Cure.

Because there is no on-site parking at South Lakes Park, participants are being asked to park at Golden Triangle Mall and hop on one of 10 charter buses donated by Durham Charter Services, she said.

“They were kind enough to donate the buses, as well as their time, to help participants get to the park,” Beaty said.

Denton’s Race for the Cure will feature a competitive 5-km race, a casual 5K run and walk, and a one-mile family fun run and walk. It will also include a 50-yard dash for children 12 years old and younger, she said.

The race celebrates survivors of breast cancer and pays tribute to those who have died from the disease while raising money for community outreach, education, and breast cancer screening and treatment.

Most of the event’s revenue comes from donations collected by participants in the race.

“Our goal through participant funds is $100,000, but our overall goal is to raise $200,000,” said Jim Rainbolt, business development manager for Komen North Texas.

Aside from skin cancer, breast cancer is the most frequently diagnosed form of cancer among women, said Joy Donovan Brandon, communications manager for the American Cancer Society.

“There’s an estimated 226,870 new cases expected to occur in women across the nation this year alone. In men, the number is 210,190,” she said.

The Texas Cancer Registry estimates that about 469 new cases of breast cancer will be documented in Denton County in 2012.

Brandon said some factors that increase the risk of breast cancer are smoking, physical inactivity, and family history.

Komen North Texas pools the money it raises through events such as the Race for the Cure and applies it, in the form of grants, to programs dealing with breast health, education, and screening in the eight counties it services: Collin, Cook, Denton, Grayson, Fannin, Hunt, and Montague.

For more information, visit komennorthtexas.org.

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