Listen to this articleAmerican Cancer Society has announced two Making Strides Against Breast Cancer Walks on Long Island. The walk in Grangabel Park Riverhead is set for Oct. 5 at 10 a.m., and the walk at Field 5 on Jones Beach is set for Oct. 20, with a rolling start between 7 a.m. and 10:30 a.m.
The walks fund lifesaving breast cancer research according to Amercian Cancer Society, which said it is committed to advancing health equity through essential programs and services. The organization said it has invested more than $600 million in breast cancer research.
According to the American Cancer Society, 19,160 women in New York will be diagnosed with breast cancer. Breast cancer affects men too.
Today, there are more than 4 million breast cancer survivors in the U.S., including those who have completed treatment and those still undergoing treatment. More than 150,000 of these survivors are living with metastatic breast cancer.
The death rate from breast cancer dropped by 42% from 1989-2021 as a result of earlier detection through increased awareness and mammography screening, as well as advances in treatments. Despite this drop, Black women are 41% more likely to die of breast cancer than White women overall and are twice as likely to die if they are younger than age 50. Breast cancer has surpassed lung cancer in deaths among Black women (6,800 deaths in 2022), according to American Cancer Society.
The upcoming walks are designed to raise awareness and build community for survivors, caregivers and families. To sign up, click here.