PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) — For more than 25 years, thousands of people dressed in pink have flooded the Portland Waterfront for the Race for the Cure — but this year there will be some big changes.
Starting with the name – Susan G. Koman has reimagined the event, which is now called the “More than Pink Walk.”
For Komen Oregon and Southwest Washington CEO Andrew Asato, it’s personal.
“You can’t go through life without breast cancer affecting you,” Asato said. “I have had family members, close friends, who have all battled breast cancer.”
After decades of raising awareness about breast cancer, Komen is taking the next step in the fight to end it.
“We are more than pink,” Asato said. “Pink will always identify us, but we’re defined by four other colors that are pillars of what we really do in the community every day.”
The More than Pink Walk will celebrate all that Komen does: Purple for research, green for care, blue for community and orange for action.
“I am very excited for the opening ceremony and how we will all be involved in celebrating our survivors and forever fighters who will lead us on this walk together,” Asato said.
This year, there’s a big focus on fundraising.
“You know, if somebody signs up it gets them to the start line but it doesn’t get us to the finish line,” Asato said. “We have a bold goal to reduce breast cancer deaths in half by 2026 in the United States so from 40,000 to 20,000 and we’re gonna do it if people actually fundraise at the walk.”
Komen is challenging everyone who signs up for the More than Pink Walk to raise $250 and teams to raise $2,500.
“We hope thousands will show up we have a $600,000 goal we want to meet it this year and we know we can do it,” Asato said.
Join KOIN 6 News anchor Jennifer Hoff for the More than Pink Walk on September 22. Registration is open now and if you sign up before June 15, it’s only $20.