NEWS

Fundraising begins for Making Strides walk

Anna Jeffries
Reporter
  • This year’s Making Strides Against Breast Cancer walk will be held Oct. 4 at Rotary Park.
  • The event raises money for the American Cancer Society.
  • Organizers held a kick off event Tuesday at Heritage Hall.
  • For more information, go to makingstrideswalk.org/newarkoh or call 1-800-227-2345.

NEWARK – Nikki Brooks isn’t shy about sharing a photo of herself with no hair.

Saved on her phone, the image was taken 12 years ago when she was battling breast cancer.

Brooks, the midday host on the radio station WCLT, brought the photo when she spoke Tuesday at a kickoff breakfast for Making Strides Against Breast Cancer of Newark at Heritage Hall.

“God has a reason for me to be here. He knows I have a big mouth and I’ll use it,” she said.

She explained why the fundraising walk, planned for Oct. 4 at Rotary Park, is so important to her and many other local women.

“If we don’t do something about breast cancer, it will continue to take its toll,” she said.

Making Strides is in its third year in Newark, and community manager Terri Kangas is hopeful this year will be the best yet.

Her goals include encouraging at least 50 teams to participate and raising $25,000 for the American Cancer Society. That money will be used to fund research, support those battling breast cancer and increase prevention education.

Tuesday’s event was designed to educate team leaders and encourage others to start teams and start raising money, which they’ll turn in on Oct. 4.

“There are a lot of reasons everyone is here,” Kangas said. “I really don’t want my daughter to have to hear the word breast cancer, for herself or her loved ones.”

An estimated 231,840 women will likely be diagnosed with breast cancer this year and 40,260 are expected to die from the disease. In Ohio, 8,951 women will likely be diagnosed and 1,740 will die, Brooks said.

“Those are very scary facts,” she said.

Vickie Gastineau was one breast cancer survivor who spoke at the kickoff event.

She was diagnosed with breast cancer and chronic lymphocytic leukemia 13 years ago, then kidney cancer a year later. But her faith and support from her family helped her stay strong.

“I was determined I would beat this,” she said.

At the end of the event, Kangas asked all breast cancer survivors to stand up and be recognized. She encouraged everyone in the room, and in Licking County, to participate in the event and help them continue to fight back.

“Let’s put the American Cancer Society out of business,” she said. “We need your help to finish the fight.”

ajeffries@newarkadvocate.com

740-328-8544

Twitter: @amsjeffries

Learn more

Making Strides Against Breast Cancer of Newark will be at 10 a.m. Oct. 4 at Rotary Park, 925 Sharon Valley Road. Registration will start at 9 a.m. For more information, go to makingstrideswalk.org/newarkoh or call 800-227-2345.