Clad in pink workout attire, a flock of students, faculty and community members filled Stafford Commons Saturday morning with a palpable energy in support of lives lost to women’s cancers. The Kay Yow Cancer Fund’s second annual 4K Celebration Run/Walk aimed, and succeeded, at raising awareness and money for all women’s cancer research, in honor of former NC State Women’s head basketball coach Kay Yow, who died of breast cancer in 2009.

Race runners and walkers braved the chilly weather Saturday morning before the race began at 11 a.m., sipping coffee and snacking on bananas and Duck Donuts before the run. Also in attendance were representatives from the Women’s Center, who handed out pamphlets, stickers and stress balls to attendees, as well as a REX Hospital mobile mammogram truck, which provides free mammograms to uninsured and underinsured women. Most prominently, Stafford Commons was lined with Kay Yow Cancer Fund tables, volunteers and representatives that work to honor the much-loved Yow through fundraising and educational efforts. Sarah Womack, Kay Yow Cancer Fund’s communications director, talked about the national non-profit’s overarching goal for events like these.

“All of our events have an element that’s survivor-centric and we want to, in everything we do, honor survivors,” Womack said.

Before the race, cancer survivors were called to the front of the crowd and gifted with a light pink cowboy hat, to be worn during the race as a symbol of their perseverance through a tireless fight that has affected far too many.

“In this country, a woman is diagnosed with cancer every minute,” Womack said. “I think that’s a staggering statistic […] thinking that somebody’s mom, sister, wife, whatever it may be, is affected. There is no student at NC State that will not be brushed with cancer either directly or indirectly.”

To get the crowd warmed up before the 2.5 mile run, representatives from Jazzercise Cary Fitness Center led a routine that resulted in many laughs and friendly competition as participants moved to the beat and let their inner divas shine through.

Students across disciplines and backgrounds came out for the cause, proudly sporting the race’s complimentary grey and bright pink Nike shirts which read “Celebration Kay Yow Cancer Fund’s Run/Walk,” mingling with other runners and holding up handmade signs with words of encouragement like “when life knocks you down, let it knock you forward.” Abbye Jones, a first-year studying engineering, is one of many who came out in support of Yow and women’s cancer research as a whole.

“I think Kay Yow is really awesome,” Jones said. “Supporting women’s cancer [awareness] is a really important thing to me because it’s affected a lot of family members and friends, so I think it’s really important to bring awareness to that.”

As the race start time approached, runners and walkers alike lined behind a blue and pink balloon arch, ready for takeoff. When the whistle blew, legs were moving with the beat of the NC State Pep band, which played energetic tunes throughout the race, powering the Pack from start to finish.

The on-campus race course was lined with peppy volunteers shaking bubblegum-pink pom poms as walkers and runners passed by. Fueled by the fight for women’s cancer, racers powered through the course and to the finish line, where they were met with water bottles, pizza and intrinsic satisfaction.

Womack said that, although the race worked in order to raise funds for women’s cancer research, there lies another mission behind the run/walk that remains equally as important — cultivating an energy and atmosphere that unites and rallies women and families for a cause that affects all.

For Maria Gines, a first-year master’s student studying international studies, the Kay Yow Cancer Fund’s run/walk was a unique learning experience worth embarking on.

“I feel like it’s really important to come to and volunteer at these kinds of events,” Gines said. “I’m not actually from Raleigh, so I haven’t heard about Kay Yow yet before. I’m from Argentina actually, so I’m really excited to find out about everything.”

According to Womack, all too often the difference between life and death is how soon cancer is caught. Students should be practicing preventative measures like maintaining a healthy diet, filled with fresh fruits and veggies, and getting at least 30 minutes of exercise in each day. Learning one’s family history is also important. According to the American Cancer Society, women should begin yearly breast cancer screenings starting at age 45. Young women should be practicing breast self-exams monthly. Living a healthy lifestyle is something young women can do to, hopefully, prevent a diagnosis later in life.

Womack, who played basketball for Yow’s youngest sister, holds a special relationship to the Kay Yow Cancer Fund. Since its start, the non-profit organization has raised approximately 5.6 million for women’s cancer research, through Play4Kay basketball games nationwide, donors, sponsors and additional fundraising efforts, like the recently-added run/walk event.

Through the Kay Yow Cancer Fund’s efforts and all of the lives she touched, Kay Yow’s legacy is far from forgotten. It is honored. It is celebrated. And it is a constant reminder that, each and every day, more women are in need of a cure.

“The thing that sticks with me is what an amazing person Coach Yow was,” Womack said. “There’s always people that, when they found out that I knew her, tell me ‘I always thought she was such a great person’ and I always say, ‘however great of a person you thought she was, she was even greater than that.’”

To get involved with the Kay Yow Cancer Fund, visit https://kayyow.com/.