2024 Komen Race for the Cure Detroit is Sept. 14 where runners raise money - and hope

DETROIT (FOX 2) - There are many beautiful colors of fall - including honolulu blue for the Lions - but another color comes to life pink, to fight breast cancer.

For more than 30 years, walkers, runners, and those touched by breast cancer have been taking part in Komen Race for the Cure. There may be many reasons people show up, but there's one mission.

"A world without breast cancer. It's our only mission a world without breast cancer our only mission why we walk run on race day," said Gretchen Awad, Komen executive director for Detroit.

Forty-one years ago - before Susan G Komen died from breast cancer at the age of 36, a promise was made. 

"It started as a promise between two sisters, and Nancy Brinker promised her dying sister Suzie Komen that she would help women who were affected by breast cancer and were going to lose their lives by breast cancer," Awad said. "And she's been continuing to pay it forward her entire life."

Nancy and Susan Komen

On race day Milliken State Park on the Detroit Riverfront will be filled with teams, families and survivors - all raising hundreds of thousands of dollars and raising hope.

"Our number one request from our patient care line is suppor when it comes to barriers of care," Awad said. "We support with housing, rent, child care , transportation."

The money also funds breast cancer research - investing hundreds of thousands of dollars in developing better treatments.

"The past 10 years of new cancer drugs and breakthroughs, all of them have Komen dollars tied to them," she said. "We grant millions of dollars every year to the top researchers in the country. So all of those drugs women and men are taking, have Komen dollars tied to them."

Komen Race for the Cure is happening Sunday and FOX 2 will be there.

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