On Sunday, October 6, downtown Redlands filled with thousands of people who had gathered to participate in the 6th Annual Believe Walk event. Noticeable in the crowd were numerous people wearing blue shirts that said “Fighting Cancer Together”—representatives of the LLU Health family.
Sponsored by Stater Bros. Charities and Inland Women Fighting Cancer, this year’s event raised $494,339 to help support cancer-fighting organizations in the region, such as Loma Linda University Cancer Center.
One of the walkers was Dawn Scott, a law student who received lifesaving treatment at Loma Linda University Cancer Center. Her husband, dog, and friends also walked.
“The Believe Walk was a great experience,” Ms. Scott says. “I was overwhelmed at how many people were there. My doctor, Maheswari Senthil, was one of the walkers.”
Christina Franks, an LLUH employee, noted on Facebook, "This was my first year and it was unbelievable. A moving experience. I walked for my husband's aunt Connie. She is a survivor!"
In addition to the blue LLU Health shirts, Ms. Scott noticed other groups also wearing colorful shirts imprinted with statements about fighting cancer. She and her friends, for example, wore purple shirts with a statement she adopted during her cancer treatment: “Failure is not an option.”
“Most of the walkers had never met, but we are part of the same community, fighting cancer,” Ms. Scott says. “No one choses it, but we were all a part of it, supporting each other. That was empowering; it’s what I loved about the event.”
“This small-town event has evolved into a community celebration,” says Jack H. Brown, chair and CEO of Stater Bros. Supermarkets. “Everyone is affected by cancer at some point in their lives, and it’s amazing to see how our community, the Inland Empire, has stepped up to the plate to do something about it.”
“The level of community support for the Believe Walk has been amazing,” says Nancy Varner, co-founder of the Inland Women Fighting Cancer Committee. “It’s exciting to see how all aspects of the community have come together for one cause, to fight cancer.”
At the end of the walk, participants celebrated at the Believe Bash located at the Redlands Bowl. Some 50 vendors, including the Loma Linda University Cancer Center, provided food and free items for the participants.
Since the Believe Walk began it 2008, it has resulted in more than $1.7 million donated to local cancer-fighting organizations. This year the Loma Linda University Cancer Center was able to construct a patient resource center in the new Loma Linda University Women’s Cancer and Surgical Oncology Center from funds raised by Stater Bros. Charities and Inland Women Fighting Cancer. The patient resource center offers additional support services to patients who may not be covered by medical insurance.