Thousands of people took to the streets of Balboa Park to help raise awareness and money to fight breast cancer Sunday morning. The Making Strides Against Breast Cancer walk was four miles, but for many participants, it’s been a years’ long effort.
“We have a team of 54,” walker Rosie Delgado told NBC 7. “My sister started it … and my sister passed away last year, but I know we’re doing this for everybody else and we are so happy to be here. This is going to be like our eighth year doing this walk.”
Sonia Ali is a medical oncologist for Scripps focusing on breast cancer. Her mother died of the disease.
“I went into this field because I like so many others have been personally affected by breast cancer,” she said. “Everyone’s lives, unfortunately, have been touched by breast cancer. So it’s nice to be out here among others knowing we’re fighting this. Mortality rates are dropping, and it’s just inspiring.”
About 252,710 new cases of invasive breast cancer will be diagnosed nationally this year, according to the American Cancer Society’s website.
Making Strides is a part of the American Cancer Society. Since 1993, 8 million walkers have raised more than $460 million for breast cancer research.
