WEST ORANGE — Pink is the color connected to breast cancer awareness.
But the More Than Pink Walk brings more than awareness. It’s about access to treatment, emotional support, a hotline for options and so much more.
The More Than Pink Walk, Susan G. Komen’s largest fundraising event series, evolved from the Race for the Cure in 2018, Each year, the fundraiser hosts more than 100,000 participants at more than 40 in-person – and one virtual – walks across the United States. Since the first walk in 2018, participants have raised more than $60 million and continue to be a part of a community committed to a vision of a world without breast cancer.
The 2026 Komen North Jersey More Than Pink Walk will be Sunday, Oct. 25, at The Waterfront at South Mountain, West Orange.
It’s free to register and participants who raise $100 will earn the commemorative Komen T-shirt, which will be mailed directly to them. Registered walk participants who show their registration can get $5 admission to Turtle Back Zoo, MiniGolf Safari or public skating at Codey Arena on the day of the event.
McLoone’s Boathouse will be donating $1 per “The Pink Drink” cocktail purchased during the month of October and planning additional walk day promotion.
The family-friendly North Jersey More Than Pink Walk will include a tent village, opening ceremony, approximately two-mile waterfront-walk and post-walk celebration.
Susan Pizzano, of West Orange, is on the advisory board for the More Than Pink Walk. She retired last year and wanted to give back. “I’m a breast cancer survivor,” she said.
Pizzano’s cancer was caught early, 15 years ago. She continues to go to Montclair Breast Center twice a year to make sure she stays healthy with MRIs, mammograms and sonograms. Cancer has not shown up again for her.
She said, “One in eight women will get breast cancer in their lifetime.”
Pizzano chose to align herself with the Susan G. Komen organization because it’s been around a very long time and really helps women if they need financial assistance.
Chelsea Grajales is executive director of New Jersey Susan G. Komen. She oversees all the fundraising events. “More Than Pink Walk is really a beautiful day,” she said. “A celebration for us to rally for a world without breast cancer. We walk with purpose. We offer support for those impacted by breast cancer. Education. Resources. We help people lead quality lives after treatment. Survivors, family, friends, those living with cancer. We encourage guests to write a message, bring a photo to remember those who we lost to breast cancer.”
Continuing, she said, “It’s a really positive and exciting energy to motivate walkers to get ready to walk together. I’m not a survivor. I walk in memory of my aunt, who we lost to a secondary cancer.”
To register for the More Than Pink Walk, visit: https://secure.info-komen.org/site/TR?fr_id=11259&pg=entry.
Photos Courtesy of Susan Pizzano
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