Dressing up to fight cancer; Costumes encouraged for 3rd annual Run with the Breast of Us 5k

Published 10:24 am Monday, October 26, 2015

Organizers are dressing up an annual 5K to raise money for breast cancer.

Runners and walkers will look more festive at this year’s Run with the Breast of Us 5K in Brownsdale as it takes place for the first time on Halloween morning to raise support for breast cancer research at The Hormel Institute, University of Minnesota.

“A Halloween fun run seemed like the perfect opportunity to get people excited about the 5K and continue our fundraiser for breast cancer research,” said Megan Ellis, in a press release. She leads the event with her mother, Tina Ellis.

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The event will start at 8 a.m. Oct. 31 at the Brownsdale Elementary School and feature a 5-kilometer or 3.1-mile course consisting of paved and gravel sections with small hills throughout.

Registration is $25 per person and $15 for children age 12 and younger. Forms are available for download at ellismeg.wix.com/runwiththebreastofus and can be brought to the race that morning. Participants may register the morning of the race.

With registration, each participant will receive a T-shirt, bib number and refreshments after the race. Packet pickup and same-day registration will be from 6 a.m. to 7:30 a.m. Oct. 31 at Brownsdale Elementary School. As race results are being analyzed, a raffle will take place. Additionally, awards will be given to the top two runners of each age category for males and females; prizes also will be awarded for best adult costume and best children’s costume.

In two years, “Run with the Breast of Us” has raised about $3,050 overall in support for The Hormel Institute’s breast cancer research. The money raised is part of the annual Paint the Town Pink initiative in Austin and the surrounding area to raise awareness and support for the Institute’s breast cancer research. The 2016 PTTP goal is to raise $200,000 by March.

In 2013, Megan Ellis and her mother Tina Ellis started “Run with the Breast of Us” after Tina made a life-changing decision to get a double mastectomy. A year earlier, Tina went in for a routine breast exam that led to the discovery of a mass on her left breast. Without hesitation, Tina chose to have a double mastectomy due to a strong history of cancer in her family.

To help fight breast cancer, Tina and Megan started “Run with the Breast of Us” to raise money that supports research at The Hormel Institute that is some of the best in the world in investigating better ways to prevent and control breast cancer.

Check donations can be made to The Hormel Institute as part of the event before or on the same day as “Run with the Breast of Us.” For more information, call 507-589-0001.