Annual Liz Hurley Ribbon Run continues to impact women’s breast care

HUNTSVILLE – The Huntsville Hospital Breast Cancer Center is the busiest mammography site in the entire state of Alabama. And thanks to the annual Liz Hurley Ribbon Run, both Huntsville and Madison Breast Centers are fully 3D mammography capable, making breast cancer easier to detect, particularly in dense breast tissue.

This is not just a random fact for long-time news anchor and breast cancer survivor, Liz Hurley to announce on the air. It’s her gift to fellow women in her community. Hurley, diagnosed with breast cancer in August 1998, felt compelled to use her journey and platform as a tool to help others.

This year’s Ribbon Run is set for Oct. 19 in downtown Huntsville.

“My breast cancer diagnosis changed the course of my life. I wanted to create something that would not only increase awareness, but also raise enough money to truly impact the care of patients through equipment and programs,” Hurley said.

After completing her own treatments in 1999, she established the Liz Hurley Breast Cancer Fund at Huntsville Hospital Foundation and in 2004 hosted the first Ribbon Run. That run brought 1,000 participants to downtown Huntsville. Last year’s run saw over 6,000 walkers and runners cross the finish line.

“I partnered with Huntsville Hospital Foundation and the Huntsville Track Club to bring this vision to life. It started as a small dream and thanks to our generous community, it is now the largest 5k in North Alabama,” Hurley said. “They walk, run, rock their pink tutus–it is a morning of inspiration, joy and healing.”

Last year’s run raised a record breaking $472,000. Hurley says it would not be possible without the incredible sponsors, including long-time top partner CFD Research and the participants themselves. Those registered to participate can create their own fundraising page to get friends and co-workers involved. Hurley also believes that the event’s growth can be attributed to transparency and trust.

“It’s clear where the money goes–just ask patients who have walked through the doors of the Breast Cancer Center for care and those who were diagnosed with breast cancer,” Hurley said. “The money is wisely invested–in their futures. Once they are inside the Center, they can touch, feel and experience their investment. You can’t buy that trust. That is built.”

Each year, the fundraising focus is directly dictated by the top needs of the Huntsville Hospital Breast Center. The proceeds from this year’s Ribbon Run will again provide the top-priority needs of the Breast Center. Those needs include important software upgrades for three 3D mammogram machines that will approve the appearance of mammographic images for more accurate diagnoses.

“The Clarity HD system is a significant upgrade to the original and current 3D technology,” Hurley said. “This improved technology will almost certainly lead to improvements in cancer detection and will also likely decrease the number of false positive results.”

While most people are aware of the impact the annual fundraiser has on equipment and technology, they may not be as familiar with the Surviving and Thriving classes Hurley’s Foundation finances. This eight-week program gives breast cancer survivors a support system and the resources they need to transition to life beyond their treatment journey. To date, the classes have graduated 38 groups made up of 399 ladies.

“To me, the Surviving and Thriving classes are the next step toward wellness after a person completes their initial treatment for breast cancer whether it be surgery, chemotherapy, radiation, reconstruction or a combination of these,” Hurley said. “Some are in the throes of completing their treatment. The period of time after a breast cancer diagnosis can be intense and you are in the ‘moment’ that sometimes lasts for months. Then, one day, your course of treatment is done. You ask yourself, “Now what? I like to say it’s a breast cancer boot camp that can help women jumpstart their new life as a survivor.”

Hurley’s own diagnosis came two days after she discovered a lump while in the shower. She was diligent in doing monthly self-exams and yearly mammograms. Her mother was diagnosed at age 30, so Hurley was aware of the risks of being diagnosed. Today she is willing to listen to women’s diagnosis stories and is happy to give advice. Besides recommending a yearly mammogram, Hurley says women need to know their personal risks for breast cancer, while knowing that the majority of women diagnosed do not have a family history of the disease.

“If you have a first-degree relative with breast cancer, and therefore, are at a higher risk of being diagnosed with the disease, subtract 10 years from your relative’s age at diagnosis and start your testing then. If you are considered high risk, talk to your doctor about a plan to be surveilled,” Hurley said. “You should have been performing monthly self-breast exams starting at 20, through pregnancy and menopause.”

According to breastcancer.org, two out of three invasive breast cancers are found in women 55 or older. Hurley says women at 50 and beyond should maintain a healthy diet and weight and exercise daily.

“No one cares more about your health than you,” Hurley said. “Be your best advocate. Be your best you. Life is short. Do your best to make it last longer and healthier.”

Besides being the name behind the fundraising, the giver of advice and the shoulder to cry on, Hurley is also the lady at the finish line, a job she looks forward to doing every October. Adorned in pink and standing tall ready to high-five every participant as they cross the finish line, Hurley says that she looks into so many eyes and wonders why they are running. Some are overcome with emotion. Some are crying. Some are squealing with delight. All of them are grateful.

“They cross the finish line, and you can visibly see they feel as if they won the lottery. If you ask them, it’s the line of demarcation: before cancer and after their diagnosis,” Hurley said. “I also love to watch the teams that surround a breast cancer patient or survivor. And I stop in my tracks when I see a young, bald woman walking with her small children. I fight the tears because that woman was me and I know the fight she is in.”