Sept. 19--GENEVA -- Pink and white balloons floated from the hands of cancer survivors, and those who love them, Sunday afternoon at the Ashtabula County Walk for the Cure.
Young , old and everyone in between, gathered at Geneva High School to connect with those who have experienced the loss of a loved one or fear of the unknown brought on by a cancer diagnosis.
"This is my 10th. I'm glad I'm here ," said Ruth Ann Falcione of Ashtabula after releasing her balloon. She credits her doctor with saving her life.
"I think it (the walk) is wonderful," she said.
Lori Kingston coordinates the walk and attempts to recognize breast cancer survivors. "This is our 10th year," she said of the event that has grown each year and is helped by many different groups in the community.
Kingston said more than 300 people participated in the walk and 60 breast cancer survivors attended as well.
"Last year we collected $26,000 to the Susan G. Komen Foundation," Kingston said. She said 75 percent of that money comes back to the community and one of the programs that benefits provides free mammograms for the uninsured.
"It is time to find a cure for this terrible disease," said Rob David, president of UH Geneva and Medical Centers before the participants began there four-ap walk around the school property.
"We want to make sure everybody gets their two miles in," Kingston said with a laugh detailing the full course as walkers prepared to begin.
Cassidy McFadden of West Springfield and Sarah Dietrich of Akron made the trip to Geneva to show support for Dietrich's mother, April, of Conneaut.
"I could have lost my mother so it (the walk) means everything to me," Sarah Dietrich while walking with locked arms with McFadden.
Dr. Amitabh Goel said his goal is end breast cancer but make sure woman are aware of danger signs is important.
"The most important thing is raising awareness," Goel said of the importance of mammograms.
Althea Rhea has been beating back cancer for almost a quarter of a century. The Saybrook Township resident was diagnosed the first time in 1987 and had a relapse in 1987 but is still going strong.
"It (the walk) shows support," Rhea said. She said the size of the walk (not too big) made her participation possible.
The Taft family, all of Jefferson, made the trek in honor of Ann Taft's mother, Nina Runey, who died on Sept. 6, 2008. Ann, Bubba and Emily Taft all wore tee shirts with a picture of Runey in the center.
"We're walking in memory of my mother," Ann Taft said while holding hands with her family.
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