Breast Cancer Fight Focus of ‘The Breast Walk Ever’

Breast cancer: words all too familiar across generations and lifestyles. With one in eight women in the United States predicted to develop breast cancer in their lifetime, breast cancer is not only impactful to individuals diagnosed with the disease, but also to families and communities that surround them.

The American Cancer Society’s Making Strides Against Breast Cancer helps raise important funds towards fighting against the high breast cancer rate, providing support for not only individuals diagnosed, but also future generations through research funding.

One of the organization’s largest fundraising events in Hawai’i and across the country is the ACS Making Strides Against Breast Cancer Walk. The event has been held over 300 times across the country with over one million individual participants.

Joining in the fight for the second straight year is KBIG FM’s The Breast Walk Ever, a supportive “feeder-walk” benefitting the Oahu Making Strides event.

KBIG FM’s event will be held Saturday, Oct. 17 at the Prince Kuhio Plaza from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m., one week prior to the Oahu walk.

The Breast Walk Ever mixes entertainment and awareness, all with the goal of taking another step forward in the fight against breast cancer. A bra decorating contest will be held, with one winner being determined by the amount of votes generated by monetary donations. Judges will also determine a winner, with prizes that include overnight hotel stays at either the Hapuna Beach Prince Hotel or the Mauna Kea Beach Hotel.

Katie Burleson, ACS Senior Coordinator, Division Event Support, says the support from neighbor island fundraisers began three years ago on Kauai, and one year later, KBIG FM approached ACS with the idea of their own supportive event, The Breast Walk Ever.

“Even though the main event is hosted in Honolulu, the initiative and fundraising that surrounds it affects everyone across the state,” Burleson said. “So it’s fantastic that we have found people on our neighbor islands that are able and willing to host a fundraiser to help tie in to what we are doing in Honolulu.”

Two-time breast cancer survivor Debbie Kenui, last year’s Portrait of Hope honoree, will be in attendance, along with fellow breast cancer survivor Rowena Ireland, who is also a Zumba instructor.

There will be performances by Puna Taiko and the Zumba Hilo Chicas. Young kids can also pick up a keiki ID.

“Having a walk like this, aside from the fundraising which helps us support the community and support people who are going through their cancer journey, it gives people an opportunity to come together and say we are going to fight back, cancer isn’t going to kill people anymore and we are going to do something about it.”

Those interested in participating in the Walk and Bra Contest can register on-site between 10 a.m. and 10:30 a.m. Saturday. To pre-register, stop by the KBIG FM studios, located at 913 Kanoelehua Aveune in Hilo, between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. Friday.

KBIG FM is a product of Pacific Media Group, parent company of Big Island Now.