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ITD's Marshall helps generate funds
for breast cancer awareness, research

Connie Marshall, on the District 3 vegetation crew, was part of a group of 389 women that raised $9,725 Saturday (May 10) in the Komen Race for the Cure, a breast-cancer awareness event in Boise.

The annual event raised more than $400,000 for research and education.

“The race was great,” Marshall said ”but just being there Saturday was great.”

“My aunt (a breast cancer survivor) is in a wheelchair. My girlfriend is still going through chemotherapy, so she only walked a short distance, but was also there the entire time. ”

Marshall said Saturday’s race attracted 14,000 participants, including more than 600 breast cancer survivors.

The ITD worker competed as part of a friend’s team, Hikin' For Healthy Hooters, which was the largest team; it has been the largest several times in the past. Their numbers even swelled to more than 700 at one point before splintering off into smaller groups.

Marshall has participated in the Race for the Cure the past six or seven years, she estimates, and during that time has been instrumental in her group’s raising more than $90,000 toward a cure for breast cancer.

Since it’s inception in 1982, the Susan G. Komen foundation has invested nearly $1 billion in the fight against breast cancer, becoming the world’s largest source of nonprofit funds for the cause. This was the 10th anniversary of the Boise event, which has generated more than $3.5 million.

An estimated 182,460 new cases of invasive breast cancer are expected to occur among women in the U.S. this year. An estimated 40,480 women will die from breast cancer. In addition to invasive breast cancer, 67,770 new cases of in situ breast cancer are expected to occur among women in 2008.

The risk of developing breast cancer increases as a woman ages; most new cases of breast cancers and breast cancer deaths occur in women aged 50 and older.

Anyone interested in participating in future Komen Boise activities can contact Marshall at connie.marshall@itd.odaho.gov or call her at 334-8910.