Survivors share importance of breast cancer awareness at RTP Race for the Cure

RESEARCH TRIANGLE PARK, N.C. (WNCN) — An estimated 11,000 women have, or will be, diagnosed with breast cancer in North Carolina in 2024.

On Saturday, people from all over the area gathered at Boxyard RTP to help support awareness and research.

With the pink balloons, pink t-shirts, and cheering, the 28^th annual Triangle Race for the Cure looked like a peppy celebration.

But for the people in attendance, it was so much more.

“Cancer’s a big part of my family, unfortunately. So, my dad and mom both passed away from cancer,” said Barbara Robertson, a breast cancer survivor. “It’s near and dear to my heart in many ways. In all in all forms, but especially the breast cancer, since that’s what I had.”

The fundraising event is a testament to their fight, and for the approximately one in eight women who will be diagnosed with breast cancer in their lifetime.

“I was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2020,” said Maria Karadus, a breast cancer survivor and a patient navigator at Wake Radiology. “My mother is [also] a breast cancer survivor. A two-time breast cancer survivor.”

With a goal of nearly half a million dollars, funds from the race will go to breast cancer patients, research, and education.

“It’s so important to get your screening mammograms. Early detection is the best way to find breast cancer when it is small and easily treatable and curable,” said Dr. Monica Agarwal, the co-director for breast imaging at Wake Radiology. “And so, it is really important to get your mammogram every year.”

“Not knowing about something doesn’t make it go away. So, it’s very important to find out what’s going on because then we can take care of it because it’s still going to be there whether we know about it or not,” added Karadus.

Everyone at the event had their own reasons to run or walk for the race. 

“You can see from the crowds here just how many people have either had breast cancer or know someone that’s had breast cancer,” said Agarwal. 

But they all have one thing in common: faith in a better future.

“I’m hoping at some point there will be a cure. I don’t know if it will be in my lifetime,” said Robertson.

Officials told CBS 17 a lack of health insurance should not preclude people from getting screened and said there are a lot of resources available. 

Information can be found on the Susan G. Komen Foundation website.