Women walk to take a step against cancer

At 1 p.m. Saturday, the sun was shining as many Tri-State residents and Marshall students gathered at Ritter Park to participate in the "Walk for Women" for breast and cervical cancer awareness and to honor victims and survivors of the disease.

Mayor Jean Dean, Marshall Football Coach Bob Pruett, Hovah Underwood and Marshall Women's Basketball Coach Juliene Simpson were guests.

The Marshall women's basketball team has participated in the walk for four years.

"It's important for us because we're women. This affects us directly," Virginia Beach, Va., senior and team captain Toni Patillo said.

Simpson said the members of the basketball team benefit from mingling with the other walkers. When you get to know someone, the walk and the fund mean a lot more, she said.

The "Walk for Women ... take a step against breast cancer" also raises funds for the West Virginia Breast and Cervical Cancer Diag-nosis and Treatment Fund, which helps women in West Virginia who can't afford treatment.

"I was uninsured and didn't really know what I was going to do," Mary Sue Sawyers, a woman who benefited from the fund, said. "If it hadn't been for this program, I would not have had the test at that time and I would not be here today."

Participants could choose to wear a badge that read, "I'm walking for ________."

The survivors' badges completed the phrase with "me."