Cancer Care

After members of The Hagen Team, as they identified themselves, crossed the finish line Sunday to conclude their 1-mile walk, they looked around for the group’s namesake, who had separated from the pack.

Kathy Hagen was only three weeks removed from her last chemotherapy treatment. She would later admit that just days before the Race for the Cure, she wasn’t sure how she would hold up physically.

But wearing a pink survivor T-shirt Sunday morning, she looked strong and invigorated when she eventually caught up to her group across from Union Station — after opting to go the full distance on the 5-kilometer course.

“Never in my wildest dreams did I think I would be able to do it,” Hagen said afterward. “I just think it was the positive energy from my family and loved ones.”

Hagen was one of more than 24,000 people walking and running for the fight against breast cancer Sunday. The crowd, larger than last year’s turnout of just fewer than 20,000, sprawled in front of Union Station early in the morning before snaking through the streets for the 15th annual Komen Kansas City Race for the Cure.

The participants had their own reasons for being there. Many wore names of loved ones on the back of their shirts. But they were all linked by the same cause.

A 40-year-old lawyer and mother of four from Parkville, Hagen was diagnosed with breast cancer in February. It wasn’t long after that she began targeting Race for the Cure and recruiting family, friends, neighbors and anybody else who would join her.

“A big part of me needed to walk with survivors,” Hagen said. “I wanted to see a lot of pink shirts, which I did, to inspire me that, you know, I’ve been diagnosed with cancer, but that’s not a death sentence. I can overcome, and I can be normal again.”

On Sunday morning, The Hagen Team had more than 100 members, some holding signs, all offering their support.

“I think that an event like this is just as powerful as the medication that a doctor could prescribe and use for treatment,” said Jane Henry, Hagen’s mother. “I honestly do.”

The race started a little past 7:30 a.m. as the first of about 1,500 runners took off. When 21-year-old Bret Imgrund of Shawnee crossed the finish line as the overall 5K race winner in 15 minutes, 14.28 seconds, the bulk of the walking crowd was just beginning to squeeze through the starting line.

Kansas City’s Melissa Todd was the top female finisher, in 17:15.23, and 54-year-old Diana Fitch of Liberty was the top finisher among the breast-cancer survivors in attendance, with a time of 21:56.26.

The majority of participants took their time, though.

The “Survivors in Pink” were another group with more than 100 participants — including three breast-cancer survivors.

Vic Jodts, a 44-year-old from Blue Springs, was with the group walking in support of his sister Cheryl Jodts, mother-in-law Pat Rittel and family friend Judy Amberson.

“It’s emotional,” he said afterward. “… There’s a lot of people affected by this, and we’re all bonding together to try to find a way to end it.”

Race chair Katie Linden estimated the event raised $1.2 million for breast-cancer research and detection.

Source : www.kansascity.com