BY JESSICA PARKS
Coney Island saw a sea
of pink on Oct. 10 as thousands
of people took to the
Riegelmann Boardwalk
to raise money for
breast cancer
research.
“We had a
wonderful time,”
said Renée Regnier,
development
manager at Making Strides
for Breast Cancer, an arm of
the American Cancer Society
which hosts 5-kilometer walks
during Breast Cancer Awareness
Month in each of the fi ve
boroughs. “A lot of people were
so excited we came back to inperson.”
The purposeful walk also
stresses the importance of annual
screenings — something
more signifi cant than ever after
the coronavirus pandemic
forced many to put off crucial,
potentially life-saving medical
Dr. Magdalena Plasilova –
Pinnacle Breast Health
COURIER L 4 IFE, OCTOBER 15-21, 2021
appointments.
“It is our signature
event to
raise awareness
for breast cancer
and to highlight the
different opportunities
and resources
available to cancer
patients,” Regnier
said. “Those are one
of the priorities that
we get people to continue
making sure they stay as safe
as possible getting screened.”
The Brooklyn chapter of
Making Strides has hosted its
October walks on Coney Island’s
Riegelmann Boardwalk
since 2017, before which the
events were held in Prospect
Park. The charity’s development
manager said it’s great
to give participants the opportunity
to take in the scenery
of the beach and the iconic
wooden boardwalk.
Since going virtual in 2020,
Marchers marked the return of the neighborhood’s Making Strides for Breast Cancer walk. Making Strides
Regnier said it was exciting to
get people back together after
over a year. She and the rest of
the Making Strides team also
assured participants’ safety
by providing ample protective
equipment as well as transitioning
to the use of touchless
technology for registration.
“The event was amazing,
even with the changes that we
had to make because of the pandemic
and following the COVID
guidelines,” she said. “People
still came out to support.”
Regnier said the participants
also managed to keep
a natural social distance
thanks to the way the event
was laid out and crowds coming
in waves — an impressive
feat given the walk’s estimated
15,000 attendees.
“It wasn’t as crowded because
I found people were coming
in sporadic, they weren’t
coming altogether,” she told
Brooklyn Paper. “So it was
more spaced out … and people
weren’t on top of one another
like we’ve had in the past.”
Marchers start on the
boardwalk by the B&B Carousel
at W. 16th Street and walk
the boardwalk in Brighton
Beach before tuning around
and coming back to complete
the 5K walk. The event is
capped off with a small celebration
at the Cyclones’ stadium,
now dubbed Maimonides
Park, where the walk’s
sponsors set up tents.
The borough’s baseball
team has always been a big
supporter of the Brooklyn
Making Strides events, Regnier
said. “We have a great relationship
with the Brooklyn
Cyclones,” she said.
So far this year, the Brooklyn
breast cancer walk has
raised close to $200,000 toward
organizers’ goal of $450,000 by
the end of 2021. Money raised
so far has been collected
through a number of events
since March, in addition to the
organization’s fl agship walk.
Donations can still be made
online to the Brooklyn chapter
of Making Strides to help
reach this year’s goal, and
walks in each of the four other
boroughs are all taking place
Sunday, Oct. 17.
THINK PINK
Coney Island breast cancer
walk sees 15,000 participants
The day a woman (or a man) feels a lump in their breast or is told of
an abnormal mammogram can be one of the worst days of their life.
It can mark the beginning of a scary and nerve-wracking journey.
At Pinnacle Breast Health our philosophy is to diagnose and treat
everyone in a timely and professional manner. We advocate for our
patients to achieve the best outcomes and experiences. We strive
for innovation, searching for novel technologies, targeted therapies,
less-invasive surgeries, and most importantly early cancer detection
and prevention.
Magdalena Plasilova, MD, Ph.D. is a board-certified Ivy League
trained breast surgical oncologist, treating benign and malignant
breast diseases. She is a passionate advocate for women’s health.
As a native of the Czech Republic, she is fluent in multiple languages,
including Russian and Czech.
To book an appointment:
212-827-4500
info@pinnaclebreastsurgery.com
pinnaclebreastsurgery.com
To connect with us on social media:
@Pinnaclebreasthealth
Magdalena Plasilova & Pinnacle Breast Surgery
Magdalena Plasilova & Pinnacle Breast Surgery
link
/pinnaclebreastsurgery.com
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