LANSING, Mich. (WSYM) - Saturday morning, thousands of people gathered at the State Capitol steps to make strides against breast cancer, at the annual American Cancer Society's "Making Strides Against Breast Cancer" 5K and one mile walk. The event not only raised money, but inspiring stories of survival were told.
FOX 47's Alani Letang spoke with supporters,patients,caregivers, and survivors who said the journey through breast cancer is not an easy one.
One cancer fighter, Jan Luft said "It's scary, you don't know what to expect."
Jan Luft, started her battle with breast cancer when she was diagnosed January of this year. She said at first it was hard to come to grips with, "it's a little bit overwhelming at first, and you do a lot of reading to find out exactly what all of that means and what it entails."
On a rainy morning people said they didn't know what to expect in terms of a turn out, but rain or shine people showed up by the thousands.
Barbara Delong is a supporter of breast cancer research and has many close to her who have the disease or who've died from it. Delong said she was not going to let rain get in her way of walking, "It's a rainy day, but it's still a good day."
Many people here have voiced how sad cancer is, but today, they said this walk is anything but that. Two-time breast caner survivor, Linda Johnson can attest to that.
Linda Johnson was first diagnosed with breast cancer in 2002. She said she found a lump, the size of a quarter, in her breast. It took the doctors nine months to find it and remove it, she explained. But she said at the time the cancer had hidden in her lymph nodes and then thirteen years later, in 2015, it came back out. And this time it spread all over her body. She said it was breast cancer that was not in her breasts.
Today, she is happy to say she is cancer free. She walks to celebrate her victory with cancer and for the support and research the American Caner Society provides to everyone who battles/defeated the disease. "So far I'm still clear, so we're celebrating" said Johnson.
Several hundreds of people said they came just to cheer those patients and survivors on. A group of Michigan State University students came out to do just that. MSU students, Arianna Wolfe and Parker Bunton, said they understand what its like to see someone battle a life-threatening disease, and said they should never have to walk alone.
"Just to give them the support that they need, to let them know we are supporting you, we are routing for you" said Wolfe.
"Hopefully lift their spirits or rejoicing the success they may have had fighting the caner" said Bunton.
Today was a walk for a world without breast cancer - a world, many say, they can't wait to see.
Organizers tell us so far $2,000 was raised today.
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