Every year, Race for the Cure is organised and hosted in cities around the world to bring together breast cancer survivors, family, friends, and supporters for a walk and run event dedicated to breast cancer awareness. On Sunday, November 2nd, Race for the Cure was hosted in Brussels, and team members from our partner organisation, EHMA, donned pink and white to represent the MELIORA project.
What is Race for the Cure?
In 1983, the first Race for the Cure was organised by the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation in Dallas, Texas. The event involved 800 participants and subsequently spurred a movement, which included the establishment of the First National Breast Cancer Awareness Month in the United States in October of 1986. In response to low screening rates of American women at the time (54% of women aged 40 or older), the Susan G. Komen Foundation also decided to expand their ”chapters” outside of the Dallas area to amplify grassroots breast cancer awareness efforts throughout the United States in 1989. In 1991, the pink ribbon, now an iconic symbol of hope, solidarity, and support for those affected by breast cancer (and now a key component of the MELIORA logo) made its appearance for the first time at the New York City Race for the Cure.
Today, Race for the Cure is the biggest sporting event in Europe dedicated to women’s health and is organised together with more than 25 breast cancer organisations. Although the concept in each country may be a bit different, the aim remains the same- to raise vital funds that enable breast cancer organisations and hospitals to continue their operations and raise awareness.
With every step we support each other
In Brussels, the event was organised by Think Pink Europe and supported locally by Think Pink Belgium. This year, over 3,000 participants took part in the event and, due to participation fees and fundraising efforts, over 80,000€ were raised to support individuals affected by breast cancer. Despite the cold and cloudy November weather in Brussels, thousands of people came together, not only to continue the fight against cancer, but to celebrate life. The path of the race took participants through prominent sites in Brussels, starting from the Parlement Fédéral, down the Rue de la Loi- where several Belgian and EU governmental buildings stand, and through the Parc Cinquantenaire. From the sidelines, supporters provided encouragement, and music could be heard as runners and walkers passed by in steady waves. At the finish line, the sense of solidarity was unmistakeable- a reminder that community spirit can bring warmth, hope, and renewed determination to a cause that touches so many lives and impacts an estimated 1 in 11 women in the EU-27.
As the MELIORA project aims to foster sustainable behavioural changes to reduce the risk of developing or re-developing breast cancer, EHMA’s participation was a meaningful opportunity to embody the project’s mission in a public and engaging way. By joining thousands of others committed to raising awareness, the EHMA team helped highlight the importance of prevention, early detection, and making healthy lifestyle choices.
Want to participate in a Race for the Cure event? Learn more about how you can participate here.
