Cancer walk beats ‘07 total

Savonda Turner of Clarkesville looked into a cold rain and driving wind eight days ago as she began a 60-mile trudge through metro Atlanta for the annual Breast Cancer 3-Day walkathon.

Last year, she participated as a supporter of her mom, who beat breast cancer in 1999.

Turner started the walk this year as a survivor who had just come out of chemotherapy.

“It was physically more challenging for me this year,” she said. “I am still a little bit anemic.”

She knew it would be tough, but as she began stepping, Turner told friends, “Listen, walking in the wind and the rain beats the heck out of chemo.”

When it ended last Sunday, the Georgia Breast Cancer 3-Day event raised $8.3 million, an increase of 26 percent over 2007.

“It was amazing,” said Jenne Fromm, national spokeswoman for the walk.

Amazing especially in light of what is going on in the bad economy, she said.

More participants drove the increase.

“In 2007, there were 2,500 walkers, who raised $6.6 million. This year, there were 3,400 walkers,” Fromm said.

The average amount raised per walker was more than $2,400 this year. It was a bit higher last year, per walker. The money is given by walkers’ family and friends, who sign on to sponsor them.

Eighty-five percent of the cash goes to the Susan G. Komen for the Cure organization and 15 percent to the National Philanthropic Trust Breast Cancer Fund.

The event, which is held in multiple cities, has become one of the highest grossing activity fund-raisers in the United States. It took in $86 million in 2007, and Fromm hopes to top that this year, with three walks in other cities remaining.

Active fund-raisers have become popular. The top 35 events in 2007 took in $1.64 billion for good causes, according to the Run Walk Ride Fund-raising Council, a nonprofit that helps agencies involved.

The activities are ways to bring those with a disease or ailment and their larger support group of family and friends together.

Melissa Davidson, 28, of Villa Rica participated for the first time this year in honor of her mother, who survived breast cancer 13 years ago.

“When you are 15, you kind of feel like you are not able to do anything about it. This is a way you can put the anger you had back then into something that you can do now,” she said.

Many who experience the walk keep coming back for more.

Richard Doughty, a former CNN anchor, is one of the “rare one percent” of men who get breast cancer.

For nine years, he has ridden his motorcycle along the route to help with traffic control when walkers come to intersections.

His grandfather survived breast cancer but his father died from it when Doughty was a child. He considers himself fortunate because he showed symptoms when he was a teenager and his mother recognized them and got him to a doctor.

“I’ve had men tell me, ‘men can’t get breast cancer,’ ” Doughty said. “Take it from me. It can happen.”

Turner said she plans to be back next year, and the year after that and the year after that.

“My prognosis is very good,” the 48-year-old said. “My oncologist said that I might live another 40 years. His goal is that I die from something other than cancer.”

Information: www.the3day.org/site/PageServer

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