By Melinda Rolls
On the morning of Oct. 20, the 31st annual Making Strides Against Breast Cancer Walk unified more than 70,000 people in a demonstration of hope and solidarity.
Swarms of pink crowds moved together across the Jones Beach Boardwalk to build awareness and raise funds for breast cancer. Families wore shirts with the names of loved ones whom they have lost to cancer, while survivors wore stickers with the amount of time since their diagnosis.
Hosted by the American Cancer Society, participants could walk a five-mile loop starting at the boardwalk. The event raised $2.3 million for breast cancer research and patient support services, matching the amount of money raised last year.
Breast cancer is the second most common cancer for women in the United States, following skin cancer. The American Cancer Society predicts that about 310,720 women will be diagnosed with breast cancer this year.
Walking for loved ones
Some participants of the walk attended in support of family and friends who have fought breast cancer. Yaribel Orellana, a 21-year-old from Rockaway, N.Y., lost her mother, Nora Orellana, to breast cancer in 2015.
“It was hard because I was really young,” Orellana said. “She passed away when I was 12, so I was 10 when she started fighting. I didn’t know what cancer was.”
Orellana and her family wore sweatshirts and held signs to honor Nora’s two-year fight against breast cancer. The sweatshirts read, “I wear pink for Nora,” and some wore pins with the words “Team Nora.”
Barbara Cavataio, a 72-year-old from Massapequa, walked in support of her daughter who was diagnosed with breast cancer last year. Today, her daughter is cancer-free after a double mastectomy. She, however, still experiences complications from the battle.
“She’s had some problems with the reconstructive surgery,” Cavataio said. “Now she’s having a lot of problems walking, and basically day-to-day issues from the breast cancer.”
Cavataio described her daughter’s battle as frightening, especially since their family has seen other members not survive through different types of cancer.
“Because of the family members who unfortunately fought and didn’t make it, that was always on her mind,” Cavataio said.
Survivors of the fight
Others walked to commemorate their own battle against breast cancer.
Jackie Hanley
Jackie Hanley, a 67-year-old from Bayside, Queens, is a breast cancer survivor of six years. Today, she is cancer-free after undergoing a double mastectomy, chemotherapy and radiation.
“It was difficult, but I have three daughters,” Hanley said. “I needed to show them that they can survive through anything.”
This is the fifth year Hanley has attended the Making Strides Walk. But this year, Hanley walked for more than herself, having recently lost her husband to appendiceal cancer, or cancer of the appendix.
“This one is harder because my husband, who was my caretaker, isn’t here,” Hanley said.
“It was difficult, but I have three daughters. I needed to show them that they can survive through anything.”
Jackie Hanley, breast cancer survivor
Yashika Stewart-McDaniels
Yashika Stewart-McDaniels, a 44-year-old from Wyandanch, was diagnosed with breast cancer last November after a biopsy.
“Honestly I didn’t even react….I got the phone call on my husband’s birthday, and I think I was more concerned with him hearing,” Stewart-McDaniels said.
Stewart-McDaniels had a single mastectomy in January and finished radiation in July. Her husband supported her during the journey, stepping away from work to be her caretaker and attending all radiation appointments.
Today, Stewart-McDaniels is cancer-free. She said that family and faith gave her strength through the battle.
“Keep fighting,” she said. “God knows best. I never once questioned him.”
Ilene Demarco
Ilene Demarco is a 68-year-old from Medford, who wore a “21-year-survivor” sticker on her shirt.
At the age of 46, Demarco was diagnosed with Stage 2 breast cancer. She underwent chemotherapy and a full mastectomy in 2003, followed by reconstruction surgery.
After having a mammogram during a routine visit with her doctor, Demarco learned she was the third child in her family to be diagnosed with cancer.
“You could have knocked me over with a feather,” Demarco said.
Demarco has watched two of her siblings die of cancer, one of melanoma and another of leukemia. Most recently, Demarco’s son was diagnosed with bladder cancer.
“All of [the cancers] are unrelated, but it just shows you how many cancers can affect one family,” Demarco said.
Demarco stressed the strength of her parents, who helped three of their children through battles with cancer. Given her parents’ history with cancer in their children, Demarco hesitated to share her own diagnosis with her mother.
“I didn’t tell my mom until the day before my surgery,” Demarco said.
Since becoming cancer free in 2004, Demarco now goes to a survivorship doctor who specializes in people who have been cancer-free for over 10 years.
“You just have to say to yourself, ‘I’m going to do it,’” said Demarco about her fight. “And even if you don’t do it, and you don’t make it through the fight, at least you know you gave it your best.”
