New York City Avon Walk Raises $10.2 Million for Breast Cancer

This weekend, there was a little more traffic than usual in the Big Apple. The fifth-annual Avon Walk for Breast Cancer New York drew men and women from 46 states and seven countries for the two day event. This year's Avon Walk was the largest in the history of the event, with more than 3,900 participants. Thanks to their efforts, $10.2 million was raised to fund breast cancer research and improve access to care.

The Avon Walk for Breast Cancer series began in 2003 and has raised more than $150 million since its inception. In addition to New York, events are held in Boston, Charlotte, Chicago, Los Angeles, San Francisco, and Washington, D.C.

In order to participate in the Avon Walk for Breast Cancer New York, each participant raised at least $1,800 in donations. Walkers were organized into teams and had a choice of walking a marathon (26.2 miles) or a marathon and a half (39.3 miles) over the course of the weekend. The event began with an early morning Opening Ceremony at Pier 84 in Hudson River Park. The ceremony featured remarks from a stage IV breast cancer survivor, Cara Kealy, 38, of Mount Vernon, N.Y. Kealy said the Avon Walk participants filled her with strength and inspiration.

"Stage IV is no longer the death sentence it used to be," she said. Kealy began her battle with breast cancer eight years ago, and was recently diagnosed with stage IV breast cancer. Stage IV is considered the "advanced" stage of breast cancer, in which the cancer has spread beyond the breast and possibly into the lungs, liver, bone or brain. Traditionally, this was considered a grave situation. However, funds raised by events such as the Avon Walk have led to research to fight tumors even at this stage. "[Now] I have treatments, and I have hope," Kealy told the walkers.