(Collierville) Nearly 15,000 people packed into the Avenue Carriage Crossing shopping center Saturday morning for the annual Race for the Cure.
They were bundled up, excited and on a mission to raise awareness for breast cancer awareness.
For Jamie Simelton, it’s been a 39 year mission.
She’s the woman behind “Jamie’s Group”.
Simelton was diagnosed in her early 20s.
Now, she’s determined to educate young women about early detection.
“I think they should be very conscious of their bodies and do their breast checks,” Simelton said. “If it’s there, they can discover it early enough. They can be a 39-year survivor.”
Race organizers hoped to reach more people this year. The event moved from Germantown to a larger space in Collierville.
“That’s the key. We need more runners and more sponsors to raise more funds for the community,” said organizer Elaine Hare.
Each runner had a story to tell.
For some, it was a story of survival. Others are still fighting.
“It kind of helps you recognize that you are not alone in your journey, said Brenda Morrow. “I would just give money and support somebody else, but now that I’ve been affected and know what it is like to go through breast cancer, I will do everything I can to support it.”
News Channel 3 was a proud sponsor of this year’s Race for the Cure.