Over $600,000 raised in Orlando to fight breast cancer

ORLANDO, Fla. (WOFL FOX 35) - More than 60,000 Orlando residents came together on Saturday at Lake Eola Park for the American Cancer Society Making Strides Against Breast Cancer walk and raised over $600,000 to help save lives from breast cancer.

“Today’s walk was a moving example how – united – we can make huge progress toward a world without breast cancer,” said Susan Shaw, Executive Director. “Our Making Strides Against Breast Cancer walk helps the American Cancer Society fund groundbreaking research into causes, prevention, and treatments for breast cancer, provide free rides to chemo and places to stay near hospitals, a live 24/7 cancer helpline, and so much more.”

Since 1993, 14 million Making Strides supporters have raised more than $870 million nationwide. The 2018 walk was made possible in part by the generous support of Avon, Chevrolet, Florida Hospital and Seacoast Bank. This year Avon joined us as the first ever National Presenting Sponsor. For over 130 years, Avon has inspired the financial independence, health and wellbeing of women – and the fight against breast cancer is central to their mission.  

Making Strides participants can be proud that we’ve seen a 39% drop in breast cancer death rates since 1989, but we still have much more to do. Excluding cancers of the skin, breast cancer is the most frequently diagnosed cancer in women and is the second-leading cause of cancer death in women. According to the American Cancer Society Cancer Facts & Figures 2018, more than 266,000 women in the United States will be diagnosed with breast cancer and more than 40,000 will die from the disease this year.

It’s not too late to make a donation to the Making Strides Against Breast Cancer walk in Orlando Visit orlandostrides.com to help the American Cancer Society continue saving lives. For free breast cancer information and resources or to donate, visit the American Cancer Society, anytime day or night, at cancer.org or call 1-800-227-2345.