Thousands of Calgarians Run for the Cure

Thousands participated in Run for a Cure Sunday

Thousands laced up in Calgary and across the country Sunday for the annual Run for the Cure.

Runners started with warmups before hitting the pavement at Southcentre.

Run for the Cure raised $785,000 Sunday in Calgary

The event raises money for research and support programs to help people facing breast cancer live longer, fuller lives.

One in eight women are expected to face a breast cancer diagnosis in their lifetime, and participants say the awareness and money raised there may be able to help with that journey.

"I've been involved in the Run for the Cure for a little over a decade now because a good friend and colleague of mine was diagnosed with stage four metastatic cancer in their late twenties," said Claire Galoska. "This year, it's kind of come a little different in terms of my reason for participation – last year I was diagnosed with stage three breast cancer.

Claire Galoska participated in Run for a Cure Sunday

"I do have a family history of breast cancers, as well," she added, "and I wanted to come here to share my story that young women get breast cancer too and kind of shed light on what the past year's been about.

"This is such an important cause," Galoska said, continuing. "The Canadian Cancer Society and CIBC have been putting so much of their funds towards metastatic breast cancer research and research in general for breast cancer, so that perhaps less people will be diagnosed and breast cancers will be diagnosed much earlier than they are."

More than $785,000 was raised at the Calgary event this year.

This is the 32^nd year of Run for the Cure.