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More than 40,000 participants are expected for the 13th annual Arkansas Race for the Cure.

The Oct. 7 event will be held in downtown Little Rock.

"We have a very special day (planned)," said Sherrye McBryde, executive director of the Arkansas affiliate of the Komen Foundation. "It's one of those times … there are 40,000 people there for one purpose. It's a fun, healthy, supportive environment."

The Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation's Race for the Cure series is the largest series of 5K runs/fitness walks in the world, according to the Komen Foundation. This year marks the 23rd anniversary of the race, and more than one million people are expected to participate in 100-plus races around the country.

Over its 12 previous races, the Komen Arkansas Race has raised more than $8.4 million that has been used to fund grants and educational programs focusing on early detection. Each year, 75 percent of the affiliate's profit raised stays in Arkansas for education programs, McBryde noted, with 25 percent going to the national Komen Foundation for national research grants.

"We've given more than $5 million in Arkansas over (the affiliate's) lifetime," she said. "Most of our annual funds come from our biggest fund-raiser — the race — which is wonderful because it's also our biggest awareness tool."

More than three-fourths of race participants are part of a team, McBryde said. Teams must have at least 10 members; the largest team signed up for this year is Baptist Health, with 1,800 team members.

"We think the teams help the morale at work," McBryde said, noting that many of the teams are groups formed at workplaces. "It helps employees be more aware of breast cancer, so they do all the things for their health to find it early. That means less time off (work), less insurance costs. It's just the awareness of breast cancer."

Claudia Wheeless of Walnut Ridge, a breast cancer survivor, has participated in the past two Little Rock races. Her team, Angels of Hope, was comprised of coworkers, friends and her daughter.

"It gives you such a boost to go to the race," Wheeless said. "It's the most wonderful feeling you get from it. It's so emotional."

McBryde said the number of participants in the Arkansas race doubled every year in its first five years; 2,200 people participated in the first race.

"And now we have more than 40,000," said McBryde, who's been executive director for five years. "And we're still continuing to grow at a healthy rate."

An event of that size requires a full year of planning. McBryde said the 130 people who make up the race committee work year-round, but scores of volunteers and team captains also lend a hand.

"We probably use, all told, 1,500 to 1,800 volunteers each year," McBryde said.

In addition to the 8 a.m. race, a Survivors Breakfast is planned for 6:30 a.m. and a Survivor Parade is slated for 9:30 a.m.

New events surrounding the 2006 Race include:

· "Three Miles of Men" Tailgate Party at Diamond Bear Brewery, 5 to 7 p.m. on Wednesday, Oct. 4.

· Pink Duck Walk at the Peabody Hotel, 5 p.m. on Friday, Oct. 6.

Six major hospitals in the central Arkansas region are direct sponsors of the race: Baptist Health, Jefferson Regional Medical Center, UAMS, St. Vincent, Arkansas Children's Hospital and St. Joseph's in Hot Springs.

The Arkansas affiliate of the Komen Foundation serves 63 counties in the state, McBryde said, with eight counties served by the Ozark affiliate and the Texarkana affiliate serving two counties.

ie.
October 2006

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