RICHMOND, Va. -- More than 4,000 survivors and supporters participated in the Making Strides Against Breast Cancer Walk on Saturday, an event dedicated to raising funds for critical research and celebrating the strength of survivors and thrivers.
CBS 6 Anchor Reba Hollingsworth emceed the event for the second consecutive year, providing encouragement and support to participants. With the assistance of Virginia Credit Union, Reba surprised six survivors with gift cards along the route.
"Are you a survivor?" Reba asked one participant.
"Yes, 15 years," she responded.
"You got your family out here with you?" Reba continued.
"Yes, my husband, my son, my daughter-in-law, my daughter, grandbabies," she replied.
"What does it mean to be out here today?" Reba asked.
"It means a lot because I'm here in the land of the living. Every time I go get a mammogram, I say, 'Lord, thank you,'" the survivor said.
"Can I give you a little something for just being here?" Reba asked, handing her a VISA gift card.
"Thank you. Thank you so much," she said.
As Reba walked along Franklin Street, she met a family of 18, some from South Carolina, accompanying their loved one, Jeanette, who is currently undergoing breast cancer treatment.
"Mom was a survivor. Thirty-five-year survivor," Jeanette shared.
"Now you're a breast cancer survivor as well. You got the whole group here. I just wanted to give you a little love for just being out here. Going through the fight, and we're going to be praying for you," Reba said.
"Thank you so much. Thank you," Jeanette said as she hugged Reba.
Reba then encountered another survivor along the route.
"Are you a survivor? How long?" she asked.
"Two years. November," the participant replied.
"How does it feel to be out here?" Reba inquired.
"It feels good. It's my first one. It feels amazing. It gives me hope to know it doesn't have to come back. It can be gone forever. And I'll be a survivor forever," she said.
"Can I give you a little something?" Reba asked, handing her a gift card.
"Thank you. Thank you," she responded.
Another mother attended the walk with her husband and two children.
"I'm a survivor. One year," she said.
"What does it mean to be out here?" Reba asked.
"Everything. I'm just glad I survived," she said.
"Can I give you a little something? Thank you for being here," Reba offered.
"Thank you. That's very nice," she replied.
Reba also met Zanobia Walker, who credits the late CBS 6 Anchor Stephanie Rochon with saving her life. Zanobia explained that Stephanie encouraged viewers to get mammograms, which prompted her to finally schedule one.
"If it weren't for her, I probably wouldn't have been here. In my mind, I kept hearing her say, 'Go get your mammograms,'" Zanobia said.
"You know we love our Stephanie Rochon, and she did so much for the breast cancer community. Thank you for being here the last 10 years, and we have something special for you. Here's a gift card," Reba said.
"You don't have to do that. Thank you so much," Zanobia responded.
Before the walk began, Dominique Lomax tearfully shared her survivor's story with the crowd. Diagnosed with breast cancer in 2023 at the age of 26, she inspired many with her journey.
"We are so proud of you for what you did to be up there on that stage and for what you've gone through in your journey. I just want to give you a little something. OK? There you go," Reba said, handing Dominique a gift card.
"Awww, thank you. Oooohhh," Dominique said.
Making Strides of Central Virginia is close to reaching its $300,000 goal, with donations still coming in. The official end of the campaign is December 4.
CBS 6 Gives is made possible by Virginia Credit Union. Have an idea about who we should surprise next,
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