NEWPORT BEACH For the past 17 years, Robin Pollok has been a voice for breast cancer survivors at the Susan G. Komen Orange County Race for the Cure.
On Sunday, her voice was missing.
Pollok died in June, on her third bout with breast cancer.
When her teenage daughter, Emily, stepped up and sang on her mother’s behalf during the 26th annual event Sunday, it created one of many emotional moments for some 15,000 participants who came out to walk, run, volunteer – and to celebrate or mourn.
People like Tammy Olschewske, of Corona, were already feeling strong emotions Sunday.
“I’ve been here before. But this is my first time since I became a survivor,” she said, wiping away tears.
La Habra resident Karen Henslin, a stranger until that moment, consoled her: “You’ll make it. I made it. It’s been seven years for me.”
Olschewske wore two pink bead plastic neckaces. Henslin wore seven.
The survivors, as they called themselves, wore one necklace for every year since diagnosis.
Linda Peters, 67, of Fullerton, had 25 necklaces dangling from her neck.
“We survived and hopefully, everyone else can survive also. But this is also in memory of those who didn’t,” Peters said.
The annual race, she said, is “like a memorial but also a celebration.”
Pink was for sure the color of the day, from hair ribbons and sashes to clothing, capes and even some eye glasses.
It was also part of this year’s theme: “Be More Than Pink” – a theme encouraging participants to get more involved with the cause through fundraising and other activities. Sunday’s event has raised $1.2 million so far but the goal is $2 million by Oct. 31.
The illness, which afflicts mostly women, also can strike men, about 1 percent.
Today, there’s more support than when the national organization first began raising money for related-programs, research, screening, diagnosis and treatment services.
“Back then, people didn’t talk about breast cancer,” said Jane Hill, the organization’s finance manager and a 26-year-survivor.
On Tuesday, the national Komen organization will announce that it plans to invest $30.7 million in new research grants dedicated to metastatic breast cancer. And in 2018, 100 percent of new grants for Komen’s Young Investigators Program, (which invites young researchers to focus on breast cancer issues,) will be required to focus on the secondary malignant growths.
“This focus on the most lethal forms and stages of breast cancer is exactly what we need to reach our bold goal of reducing deaths from breast cancer by 50 percent by 2026,” said Lisa Wolter, executive director of the Komen Orange County chapter.
Sunday’s event by Fashion Island was marked by the races and walks, a health expo and a “Survivor Tribute,” highlighted by the release of white doves.
Some 1,600 volunteers helped the program run smoothly.
They included Michael Aragon, 31, who was there in support of his mother, a two-time cancer survivor, and high school students decked out in pink outfits cheering on participants.
“It’s a hard battle,” said Monse Jaime, 13, a cheerleader from the Costa Mesa High School Cheer squad. “If all of us support them, we hope it’s easier for them to know that people are out there for them.”
Some students even contributed in abstentia: students at Mendez Fundamental Intermediate School in Santa Ana made hundreds of cards for not only those who had breast cancer but their caregivers.
Meanwhile, the event recognized Peggy Swanson-Taylor, who recently turned 70, as the Komen OC 2017 Most Inspirational Breast Cancer Survivor.
Over the past 26 years, Komen Orange County has spent more than $38 million helping uninsured and under-insured women, officials said. The national organization has invested more than $750 million in breast cancer research and $1.5 billion in community outreach programs over the past 30 years, they said.
The national Komen “Race for the Cure” events, many participants said Sunday, help bring together a community of people who have lived through the same struggle.
One day, however, organizers hope these events won’t be necessary.
