Unfortunately, it is all too common for someone – yourself, a family member, friend or neighbor – to be impacted by cancer. Allison “Buzzy” Renaud and Julie Brandon, participants of the Pink 5k, are all too familiar with the impacts of this disease.
“Who doesn’t know someone that has been impacted by cancer?” Allison shared. “I attend the Pink 5k because it means family. It’s an opportunity for all of us to come together to support fighters, survivors and in honor of those that lost the fight.”
Allison, or Buzzy as her friends call her, has attended the event nine out of the 10 years it has been in existence.
“I am inspired to attend each year because of Laure Kosey, the Oak Brook Park District’s Executive Director,” Buzzy shared. “We go way back. We both grew up in Green Bay, and we have both survived cancer. I know Laure’s whole family through this event. They all come out and support her. We make a whole day out of the race.”
Julie Brandon, another race participant, unfortunately knows many people that have been impacted by this disease. “Breast cancer has killed many members on both sides of my family,” she shared.
Her mom was diagnosed in 1990 at the age of 62. One of her sisters was also diagnosed in 2010 at the age of 58. Both her mother and sister underwent chemo and radiation. Her mother had a partial mastectomy. Five years after completing treatment, the cancer returned in her breast bone where the breast had been removed. Again, she went into remission, but in 2000, the cancer metastasized into her lungs and eventually spread to her liver and brain.
In 2008, Julie’s mother, unfortunately, passed away. “My mother remained upbeat and positive throughout the years. She was a wonderful person,” she shared.
Julie’s sister was diagnosed with a very aggressive form of cancer and underwent both chemo and radiation for six months. She then chose to have a lumpectomy. The cancer was in remission for eight years and returned in 2018. She again underwent radiation treatment. As of today, the cancer is in remission.
“I support the Pink 5k so no woman needs to go without a lifesaving screening. Even though my mother is gone, early diagnosis gave us many years with her. Early diagnosis allows us to have our sister with us. Why shouldn’t every family have the same opportunity,” shared Julie.
The Oak Brook Park District strives to do our best to make a difference in our community. Even amidst a global pandemic.
“Breast cancer awareness is very important to us, but more importantly, it is the impact it has made on people’s lives,” Mike Delgado, the Pink 5k race director, shared. “With COVID taking over during this time, we wanted to make sure that those affected by breast cancer were not forgotten.”
A portion of each registration gets donated to the Hinsdale Hospital Foundation’s Open Arms Breast Cancer Outreach Fund which provides free mammograms to women in need, due to lack or insufficiency of insurance.
The park district wants to provide hope, support, and encouragement to anyone who has been impacted by cancer.
To learn more about the race, visit https://www.obparks.org/special-events/pink-5k.