Posted by student LISA PORTERFIELD-THOMPSON – A bright and sunny autumn morning in the city is not usually so filled with excitement and encouragement as today. Fourteen Clinton School students participated in the Susan G. Komen Race for The Cure today in downtown Little Rock, including Tina Tian, Tezira Jamwa, Ali Turro, Julianne Dunn, Dimas Espinola, Emily Fischer, Sarah Clark, Josh Stokes, Lindsey Barnett, Harvell Howard, Ashley Davis, Beatrice Biira, Adam Penman and myself. The walk is an annual nation-wide event to benefit breast cancer research.
I have never seen so much pink in my entire life: shirts, bandanas, signs, floats, balloons, feather boas, etc. There were more than 50,000 participants in the Race for the Cure this year, which makes Little Rock’s race one of the largest in the nation. It was truly breath-taking to see so many people coming together to represent one cause. There were people who were walking for their mothers, grandmothers, science teachers, best friends and of course, some were walking for themselves. The day raised $2 million for the fight against breast cancer.
For me, it was a very emotional, yet uplifting day. My grandmother was diagnosed with breast cancer when I was 8 years old. She was my best friend at the time, and my parents allowed me to stay involved in her fight against cancer every step of the way. I went with her to the chemo treatments, the radiation and even stayed with her at the Ronald McDonald House here in Little Rock. I helped her pick out turbans and wigs, and even at 8, I understood her fight with cancer and cheered her on each step of the way. My grandmother lost her fight with breast cancer two years after she was diagnosed, but I know that she is very proud of me today.
The fight against breast cancer is far from won. Breast cancer is in fact still the second largest cancer killing women in America today, and even though this is the 15th Little Rock Race for the Cure, there are many more years to come. All the Clinton School students were honored to participate and thankful that the school sponsored our team. Clinton School for a CURE!
