In 1984, Massachusetts cancer survivor Margery “Margie” Gould Rath wanted to find a way to celebrate fellow cancer survivors by raising funds for the American Cancer Society. Working with a committee of fellow cancer survivors and other volunteers, she created a “movealong- a-thon” called Making Strides Against Cancer to bring people of all abilities together in an event to move the fight against cancer forward. The first event, held in Boston, drew 200 participants and became a yearly event in the city.
In September 1993, the event officially became known as the American Cancer Society Making Strides Against Breast Cancer walk, attracting 4,000 walkers at events in Boston and Manchester, New Hampshire. Since then, Margie’s vision has inspired nearly 6 million walkers to participate in Making Strides events in more than 145 communities across the country, raising more than $400 million to fight breast cancer. Margie remained a dedicated volunteer for the Making Strides Against Breast Cancer program until she ultimately lost her battle with cancer in 2001.
Margie’s legacy lives on, reminding us each and every year that we can all do our part to save lives and create a world with less cancer and more birthdays!
On May 7, thousands of breast cancer survivors, volunteers, business and community members will unite in Milwaukee to fight breast cancer and save ives by walking in the annual ‘Making Strides Against Breast Cancer 5K’ at the Discovery World, located at 500 N. Harbor Drive. Registration begins at 8:30 am and the walk begins at 10:00 am.
Each step you’ll take is personal. And each step will help save lives.
Your reason for walking in the Making Strides walk is as unique and special as the story that motivates you. This is your opportunity to honor breast cancer survivors, remember people we have lost, and raise funds and awareness to help end this disease.
The Making Strides event is not a race; it is a celebration of survivorship, an occasion to express hope, and a shared goal to end a disease that threatens the lives of so many people we love. When you participate in the Making Strides event, you’re helping create a world with less breast cancer and more birthdays, where breast cancer never steals another year from anyone’s life.
There is no registration fee or minimum fundraising amount and people of all ages are welcome to participate. Your support enables the American Cancer Society to save lives by: • Helping people stay well by educating and empowering women to live healthy lives and reduce their risk for breast cancer, and to get screening tests such as mammograms to find breast cancer early, when it is most treatable
- Helping people facing breast cancer get well by providing information, day-to-day help, and emotional support to guide them through every step of their breast cancer experience
- Finding cures by investing in and conducting research that leads to groundbreaking discoveries into breast cancer’s causes and cures
- Fighting back by working with lawmakers to support laws that help women battle breast cancer and help all women get access to screenings and care
In 2009, nearly 700,000 walkers across the country joined the American Cancer Society in this united fight against breast cancer. Together, $60 million has been raised through Making Strides events – and it was done one donation at a time. More than a walk, the American Cancer Society Making Strides Against Breast Cancer program describes the progress being made together to save lives and create a world with less breast cancer and more birthdays. You are helping us raise dollars and awareness that leads to this incredible progress; and we did it together, one walker at a time.
