The 26th annual Susan G. Komen Race in Houston gathered more than 15 thousand people for a 5K walk-and-foot race. The race included around 2,200 cancer survivors seeking to collect $263,400. By early Saturday, the organization had already raised about $200,000 dollars.

Saturday’s race initiated alongside Breast Cancer Awareness month. The Susan G. Koman Race for the Cure is the second-largest Koman race in the United States, and it is also the largest annual foundation for the breast cancer organization in Houston. Susan G. Koman efforts aim to pay local programs to educate people on breast cancer. The organization also supports research, treatment, and breast-cancer screening.

Susan G. Komen Race
The Susan G. Komen Race in Houston gathered more than 15 thousand people for a 5K walk-and-foot race. Image credit: @KHOUChristine.

Susan G. Koman has for mission to save lives attending needs in the community and investing in research to prevent and cure breast cancer, says the organization on its website.

Saturday’s event began at 07:45 a.m. at Sam Houston Park and the race started at 08:00 a.m. People supporting the cause used pink from head to toes, including pink bras over their running t-shirts and tutus. The celebration also included a memorial tribute. The organization released birds to honor those who lost the fight against breast cancer.

Susan G. Komen Race
“About 1 in 8 U.S. women (about 12%) will develop invasive breast cancer over the course of her lifetime,” said the Breast Cancer Organization. Image credit: @KHOUChristine.

Jana Hunter, the executive director of the Race for the Cure, stated she was encouraged to see the community gathered at Saturday’s event. Hunter added that the organization’s goals are possible through volunteering, donating and helping educate people about the severe disease, the Lubbock Avalanche-Journal reports.

The annual race in Houston started in 1990 and since, it has raised more than $45 million for breast cancer research, screening and treatment in America. Susan G. Komen Houston stated 75 percent of the net income from the race will be used for research in seven counties of the state.

The next “bold goal” for the Susan G. Komen Foundation

The Susan G. Komen Foundation was founded in 1982 and has helped more than three million breast cancer survivors. Now, the next challenging mission for Susan G. Komen is to reduce breast cancer deaths by 50 percent in the next decade: a “bold goal” says the foundation.

Susan G. Komen Race
“About 2,600 new cases of invasive breast cancer are expected to be diagnosed in men in 2016. A man’s lifetime risk of breast cancer is about 1 in 1,000,” said the Breast Cancer Organization. Image credit: Susan G. Komen.

Breast cancer can affect both men and women, although it is more frequent in women and rare in men. This type of cancer is the most common one among women in the world and it is the second-most common cancer overall.

Susan G. Komen estimates that 246,660 new cases of invasive breast cancer will be diagnosed in women in the U.S. by the end of 2016. Regarding in situ breast cancer and lobular carcinoma in situ, the numbers say 61 thousand new cases will be discovered. This year, 40,450 breast cancer patients will lose the fight.

Over the years, the organization has accomplished several goals, including more women undergoing mammography and the identification of a genetic link to some breast and ovarian cancers.

Susan G. Komen has also attained advocation for more federal funding, genetic tests that can help determine which patients need more aggressive treatment and the Congress approval of the EARLY Act, which requires breast cancer education for women over 40.

Source: Susan. G. Koman