This group got in the spirit of the Puttin' on the Pink walk and run Saturday in Patterson. From left: Brandy Gros, Terri Thibodeaux, Lucille Kidder, Amy Kidder and Tonya Kidder, all of the Morgan City-Stephensville area.
Lillian, 2, and Ria'm, 8 months, were Puttin' on the Pink for Saturday's fundraiser.
The Puttin' on the Pink event opened with a ribbon-cutting that included Mayors Rodney Grogan of Patterson, Lee Dragna of Morgan City and Duval Arthur of Berwick.
UPDATED WITH STORY: Hundreds 'put on the pink' to support breast cancer patients
PATTERSON — Morey Park put on the pink for breast cancer patients Saturday.
The Roots and & Ribbon Foundation, devoted to supporting breast cancer patients and survivors in St. Mary Parish, held its first big fundraiser, the Puttin’ on the Pink 5K run and two-mile walk.
The fundraiser drew 292 registered participants, including 47 breast cancer survivors remembered with signs posted at the park. More people were signing up as the 4 p.m. start time approached.
Morey Park was a sea of pink: T-shirts, hats, caps, tutus, glasses, skirts, boas and more.
We’ve become accustomed to pink symbols in October to support the fight against breast cancer, which will affect one woman in eight, according to the National Breast Cancer Center. About 1% of the nation’s roughly 300,000 U.S. breast cancer diagnoses each year are among men.
Along with the pink pompoms, football shoes, volleyballs and more come fundraising opportunities.
But a group of St. Mary women decided more needed to be done locally.
Former Morgan City High volleyball coach Christy Theriot was a force behind the local pink-themed high school matches locally, said Leslie Landry Smith, also an MCHS teacher who was a co-founder of Roots & Ribbons with Theriot.
Theriot raised thousands each year, Smith said. But as the locals explored ways to help local patients and survivors, they found money raised here and distributed through organizations such as Susan G. Komen or Miles Perret might end up elsewhere.
“They couldn’t guarantee it would stay in this area for local people,” Smith said.
So Roots & Ribbons was founded.
Patients can download a form to apply for aid at rootsandribbonsfoundation.org.
People accepted receive a $300 gift card that can help with expenses that may not come quickly to mind when considering what breast cancer patients need.
The original idea was to help with mammograms or wigs, Smith said.
“We found out that you can’t just say we’ll pay for mammograms because insurance covers some people,” Smith said. “You can’t just say the money is for wigs.”
One big need is money for transportation to out-of-town doctors or hospitals. One patient needed a special kind of massage to deal with the effects of treatment on her lymph system.
“Really,” Smith said, “it’s to let them know they’re not alone.”