More than 400 ASU students, faculty and staff hit the streets of Phoenix to raise money for breast cancer research Sunday morning for the 13th annual Race for the Cure.
Maureen Duane, the program coordinator for Student Development, organizes the ASU Gold Team that has run the event every year since 2000.
"It's a passion of mine," she said. "I've had family and friends affected by the cancer."
The team has grown tremendously in the last five years, Duane said.
The first team had 124 participants. This year, it boasted 403 members.
Nineteen breast cancer survivors participated in this year's race for ASU -- the most ever, Duane said.
Jane Burtnet, a strategic marketer in the College of Public Programs, is a survivor and said she was very passionate about the race.
"It's a huge event, and it's very moving to see all of the support," she said.
Burtnet was diagnosed Aug. 31, 2004. On Thursday, she underwent a biopsy and learned she was cancer-free.
The Race for the Cure also happened to fall on Family Weekend this year.
About 30 families participated for the ASU Gold team, Duane said.
Nancy Regan, mother of bioengineering freshman Topher Regan, said she joined the Gold Team to help spread breast cancer awareness.
Regan said she discovered she had cancer a year ago after performing a self-exam.
That's when the Race for the Cure became personal, she said.
"I contacted my friends and family in California about the race," she said. "Hopefully they will contact friends and get people involved."
Students also got out of bed early Sunday morning to show their support.
Undeclared sophomore Ashleigh Sudman ran the race for the first time, and is already planning to run next year.
"Seeing how many people are here is amazing," she said. "It's such a good cause to help out."
More than 40,000 people took part in the run.
Duane was very pleased with the turnout, but she hopes the support won't end now.
"Breast cancer doesn't just happen in October," she said.
Reach the reporter at kristi.eaton@asu.edu.
