SCRANTON -- It's the one day a year when downtown Scranton transforms completely pink. Saturday was the 27th annual NEPA Komen Race for the Cure.
Thousands showed up to walk and run to remember those lost, to honor those who survived, but most importantly, to raise funds for mammograms, treatment, research, and education.
Among the crowd of thousands, everyone had a story, and every story was different.
"Because I was afraid that she wouldn't make it, but she survived and she kicked cancer's butt," said Olivia Cottrell of Olyphant. Olivia walked with the rest of her family, including her cousin, a breast cancer survivor.
Others walked in honor of friends and family members who have passed.
Susan G. Komen's Race for the Cure is the world's largest fundraising event for breast cancer. In Scranton, about 4,000 people showed up to walk or run in that fight against breast cancer.
"You can't help but have a passion to want to do something for them. To give back, show them that we care, show them that they're working hard," said Jill Eidenberg, a chair for this year's event.
Among the walkers was Irene Luebbing for the seventh year in a row. This time was a little bit different, though, because this is the first year she walked as a survivor.
"I'm doing well. Thank God. I'm happy to be here, My first race for the cure I was still under treatment," Luebbing said.
Josey Rupert of Shickshinny finished first for the women in just under 20 minutes, and Matthew Murray of Dunmore finished first for the men in just under 17 minutes.
"My legs felt like JELL-O, after the mile and a half I felt so much better because my adrenaline was so high," Murray said.
That adrenaline, Murray says, is what kept him going. Survivors and supporters agree there is no way to describe the feeling of being a part of this 5K.
WNEP's Tom Williams and Mindi Ramsey emceed the event; many other familiar faces were there too! John Hickey ran and finished in just over 22 minutes. Sharla McBride and Scott Schaffer walked, of course, in their matching pink.