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DAYTONA BEACH – It was not Raelene Blake's first bad cancer walk, but it was her first year as a survivor.
Blake, 43, of Palm Coast, friends and Target co-workers. They are dressed in gray with a pink bad cancer ribbon and "Team Raelene" printed on the back.
"It's been hard fighting," Blake said. "But it's made me stronger as a person and made me realize what's important in life."
What's important for her husband, two children and three step-children – friends and quality of life.
"When I was first diagnosed I was really worried about how my kids would react and their future," said Blake with tears in her eyes. "They were worried but they are doing really well with it."
Survivors, supporters and volunteers crowded the grbad of Riverfront Park to mark the 25th annual march through the city's heart for the American Cancer Society's "Making Strides Against Breast Cancer Walk." A welcoming 60 degrees kicked off the event, with more than 10,000 attendees mostly dressed in various pink spots as they emptied out of the park and onto Beach Street.
Cities across the country hold each year to raise money for local cancer programs and research. Saturday's walk raised $ 183,601, according to the event's website.
According to the American Cancer Society, more than 252,710 people will be diagnosed with bad cancer in 2018. On the more side, the death rate of the disease has fallen dramatically in the last 15 years due to improvements in early detection and treatment.
This year's main focus for the American Cancer Society is access to care, according to Tenna Pappas, Area Program Manager for Mission Delivery.
"The top reason that cancer patients do not receive care is because they can not get there," said Pappas from her booth at the park. "We have a road to recovery where patients get rid of patients at no cost."
Makayla Edwards, 19, has a freshman at Bethune-Cookman University, who is battling bad cancer.
"The best part is seeing the survivors," Edwards said. "It's been really hard watching my aunt battle it so much."
Ugene Brady, 79, of DeLand, Sheila, who had a double mastectomy seven years ago to get rid of two types of cancer in her bads.
"The worst part of the whole thing was the 10-hour operation," Brady said. "But it was the right decision, she's in remission and she's here with me."
Sheila said that the double mastectomy was an extremely hard decision but she had "no other choice."
"If I wanted to live, this is what I needed to do," Sheila said. She finally finished taking her medication last year. "When we walk across the stage here I get very emotional, knowing that I am not alone."
For Shakia Moore, of Daytona Beach, the walk is a way for her to be remembered. Both died of bad cancer.
"It was a lot of hard work taking care of them," Moore said. "A lot of tough nights like I was an island."
The American Cancer Society estimates that 2,550 men will be newly diagnosed with bad cancer. Even though bad cancer is less likely in men, it still happens.
"It was a shock to both of us when we found out," said Moore of her father. "He was the first man I knew that had bad cancer but we had a very supportive doctor that helped us through it."
Both of Moore's parents pbaded away before they reached 50 years old. Her mother pbaded first in 2002. It was not until later that her father was diagnosed. He pbaded away in 2006.
"He was a fighter," said Moore. "He treated every day as if he was going to live."
Moore has been walking through the heart of the world and has said it's a sense of "community, support and encouragement."
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