Stepping up to support cancer fighters, survivors

Breast cancer affected more than 250,000 people in 2018, and it’s projected that about 3.5 million women are living with breast cancer in the United States. Twelve percent of women will be diagnosed in their lifetime.
In support of those who have been diagnosed, and to aid in life saving research, the Ta Ta Trot organization is calling on the community to it them wipeout breast cancer.
As a group of local women know all too well, the fight against breast cancer is waged every day, in every community. The goal of this group of survivors and supporters is to promote breast cancer awareness and provide financial support for those fighting the disease.
This Sunday, Oct. 13, the fight once again comes to the village of Carbon Hill were runners and walkers will lace up their running shoes for the 10th annual Ta Ta Trot 5K run/walk, an event to support the work of the American Cancer Society (ACS) and Riverside Cancer Foundation.
Registration gets underway at 8 a.m. in Carbon Hill Park. Runners and walkers head out on the 3.2-mile course at 10 a.m.
A host of activities are scheduled leading up the walk beginning with a presentation by the Coal City High School color guard at 8:30 a.m., followed by students from Donna Mueller School of Dance at 8:50 a.m.
Coal City High School’s Footnotes show choir will sing at 9:15 a.m. and a pre-race warm up will begin after the National Anthem is presented by breast cancer survivor Shannon Baer. She will be joined by local Girl Scouts, who will conduct a flag ceremony.
As in the past, Ta Ta Trot organizers will honor breast cancer survivors, and a photo will be taken at 9:40 a.m.
There will be music in the park until 1 p.m. Raffles will be open from 8 to 10 a.m. with the winners drawn and posted while participants are making their way through the course.
Pre-registration is available at tatatrotcarbonhill.eventbrite.com at $30, and on race day for $35.
The walk was started by a group of women, including breast cancer survivors, who wanted to do a local event after taking part in the ACS Making Strides for Breast Cancer Walk.
This year one of the Ta Ta Trot’s long-time organizers, who is a breast cancer survivor, will be taking part in an ACS-sponsored Making Strides walk.
Beth Carlo reports she has joined the We are Warriors team and will be heading to Nashville, Tennessee, for the Nov. 2 walk at Nissan Stadium, home of the Tennessee Titans.
“I will be walking not only for myself and sister, but for all the fighters, survivors and the ones who have lost the fight in our community,” Carlo said.
Non-runners and walkers are encouraged to join Carlo and the Ta Ta Trot organizers in Carbon Hill on Sunday to cheer on the participants and take part in the many raffles, as all funds raised will go to support ACS and Riverside Cancer Foundation.
And, while there everyone can wish Carlo the best of luck in her upcoming walk.