Health and Fitness : Breast cancer survivors bedazzle shoes for Party in Pink 5K

Lisa Staab's tattoo tells world she's a breast cancer survivor; she helped bedazzle shoes Tuesday.

Breast cancer surivors add decoratioins to the pink shoes that will be offered as 5K prizes.

A group of women who spent an hour Tuesday night carefully decorating shoes that nobody will ever wear are hoping that their difficult experiences will help them help other women.

About a dozen members of the Breast Cancer Survivors of Benton County gathered around a long table at Windsor Manor Tuesday evening. After dinner, they began bedazzling bright pink shoes.

The shoes will not be for wearing – they will be awards for a variety of categories (best dressed, etc.) during the Party in Pink 5K race set for Friday, June 28.

Pink, of course, is the official color of breast cancer awareness, and the event will raise money for the most important tool in the fight against breast cancer – mammograms.

All profits from this 5K race will go toward the “Gifts of Hope” fund at VirginiaGayHospital. That fund covers the cost of mammograms for women who cannot afford the service.

It doesn’t take long for a table full of survivors to answer the question, “Why is this so important?”

“Mammograms saved all our lives,” says one survivor, and the rest of the group chimes in their agreement.

But this group of women is offering much more than financial support.

They say that having a local place to provide early detection of the disease that has claimed the lives of many local women is important because area woman can find the emotional and moral support from other area ladies who have known their fears and faced their battles.

“8-26-2009” reads the tattoo on the left wrist of Lisa Staab, between her palm and the pink ribbon on her forearm. Lisa is one of the leaders of the survivors group, and is approaching her fourth year as a cancer survivor.

Lisa added this tattoo about three years ago, a few months after finishing her cancer therapy. The familiar ribbon is both a message of triumph and an invitation for other breast cancer survivors to bring up the topic with her.

5K already surpasses goal

The original goal was 200 runners for the event which takes place at 6 p.m.Friday, June 28.

But, says Lisa, already the 5K has drawn 250 registrants. The group now hopes for 400 runners.

Pink Balloons

Before the race begins, a group of pink balloons will be released. Each one will be in honor or memory of a loved one who fought breast cancer. The balloons will cost $5 each and can be ordered with the same registration form used for the 5K.

Click HERE for the registration form and HERE for a story with more information about Gifts of Hope.