Cancer 5K run and walk at Grant Park honors survivors, raises money for research

CHICAGO — It’s a club very few of us would ever want to be a part of and one by which so many are affected by in one way or another.

Along the lakefront at Grant Park, a walk to celebrate cancer survivors and raise money for research was held on Sunday, which marked National Cancer Survivors Day.

“I’m a survivor, prostate cancer,” Jesus Flores said.

His mom, Nancy Howarter, had been given a grim diagnosis multiple times. She is still here.

“I’ve survived pancreatic cancer, thyroid cancer. I’ve been living with cancer for 40 years. My son is a prostate cancer survivor,” Howarter said. “I’m happy to be here.”

There are stories that touch nearly everyone today.

WGN’s Mike Lowe was among the attendees.

“Nobody wants to be here in these purple shirts,” Lowe said. “When you walk this path together, it’s so much easier than when you’re walking it alone. To be with all of these great people here today, not only in the purple shirts, but the gray shirts as well. Those are family members are friends and supporters who has helped us along the path.”

Through walks and runs just like Sunday’s is where money is raised — money that has changed many aspects of how we fight cancer and the survival rates that come with those advances in science. 

“It’s very clear that the cancer mortality rates are decreasing sharply. That’s due to better diagnosis, better treatments, in all different areas, but it’s not good enough,” Erik Von Borcke, President of AbbVie Oncology, said.

Folks attended the walk to support the Lurie Cancer Center at Northwestern Hospital and one another. In hopes of not only changing the survival rates but ending cancer.  

“We understand we have new technology and bringing them all together that they are at the right time, the right place, so that the patients that have the disease, they can be treated immediately,” Von Borcke said. “That’s what we’re celebrating with those walks and runs.”