III. Making Strides Against Breast Cancer

This is Margery Gould Rath. In 1984 this cancer survivor created a walk-a-long with other volunteers and survivors. She was from Massachusetts and the first walk was in Boston but in the past 25 years, Maine's turn out for the Making Strides Against Breast Cancer walk has been absolutely huge. I visited the walk this year (and last year as well). It was held on October 18th, 2009 starting at 1030am registration. It was a 3 mile walk with a 1 mile option around Portland. I attended with my sorority sisters, one of whom has a grandmother fighting Breast Cancer and so the walk had a lot of sentimental value as well as historic value.

This is me and my little sorority sister Casey showcasing our home-made T-shirts to the event! The picture on the right is from the American Cancer Society website for the 2009 walk.

Last year alone, the Portland walk had 3,000 participants and raised nearly $250,000 for the American Cancer Society. Though the walks have only been going on for 25 years, the Breast Cancer Walk is a huge part of the history of volunteer work in Southern Maine. Having been a part of Southern Maine's volunteer community for a few years now, this is the biggest community service walk-a-thon in the state.

The site is significant to Maine because it has helped to raise millions of dollars for the research of Breast Cancer. Every year the walk gets bigger and its impact on the community continues to get larger. Though it is not a stationary landmark, the walk occurs every year around the same time and is known to most who participate in it as a historical event in the city of Portland.