- April 18, 2024
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Just as the sun starts to rise at Florida Hospital Flagler, among a crowd of excited, pink-clad runners — some stretching and some worrying about how not to pass out during a 3.1-mile run — Ryan Andrews stands reserved before the race, decked out in a fresh pair of running sneakers and a neon pink T-shirt.
Everyone in the crowd is running for their own particular reason. For Andrews, whose smiling 4-year-old son Liam is bouncing on Andrews' right arm, it’s his grandfather, who passed away from breast cancer at the age of 82.
“It was kind of a weird situation,” Andrews said. “It went from lung cancer to breast cancer, and it metastasized all over his body. It was just a tough ordeal.”
Hundreds gathered at FHF on the morning of Sunday, Oct. 15, to take part in the hospital’s seventh annual Pink 5K and One-Mile Fun Run to help increase breast cancer awareness. All had a reason to race: some for themselves, some for their family members and some for their friends.
Proceeds from the event, hosted by FHF in partnership with the city of Palm Coast and the FHF Foundation, will help qualified patients in the community pay for mammograms, breast ultrasounds, stereotactic breast biopsies, education and other specific diagnostic services to aid in the early detection of breast cancer.
Since 2009, the FHF Breast Cancer Fund has distributed $120,000 to help 212 women pay for a total of 611 procedures, FHF Foundation Director John Subers said.
“It’s all about Flagler County women,” he said. “It’s always fun to see so many pink and so many teams coming out for a common cause. … Cancer affects everybody somewhere along the line, whether personally or with a family member.”
Katie Crooke, who showed up to participate in the 5K, has had her own experience with breast cancer: Her mother, who was in her early 40s at the time, was diagnosed with the illness back in 2006.
“I think everyone always has the feeling that it’s never going to happen to them,” Crooke said. “And then when you have that family meeting, it becomes pretty surreal pretty quickly, and life is put into perspective rather quickly.”
For Crooke's mother, it was a year-long battle — one she was fortunate enough to win.
“We were very fortunate, very lucky that it hasn’t come back,” Crooke said. “I’m very appreciative to have my mom survive and battle through it.”
