Komen Greater NYC Race For The Cure Helps Fight Breast Cancer

NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) - Thousands participated in the 2012 Komen Greater New York City Race for the Cure, which began at 9 a.m. on Sunday.

The 3.1-mile race is the largest fundraiser of the year for the Susan G. Komen for the Cure Foundation.

The race made its way through Central Park, and participants started at the American Museum of Natural History. In addition to those running and walking the entire 5K length, there was a special shortened course for those who are disabled, elderly and currently undergoing cancer treatment.

A pair of breast cancer survivors who met during treatment walked the course together, they told CBS 2's Don Dahler that they had been with each other every step of the way.

"We met each other when we started surgeries. So we went through our surgeries, the chemo, the radiation together. Now we're bosom buddies," one woman said.

Susan G. Komen For The Cure Foundation's goal is to kill breast cancer before it kills any more women or men. It's about taking your life back, unashamedly and proudly proclaiming to the world that you're a breast cancer survivor.

Breast cancer survivor Judy Scherzer told CBS 2that she credits the race for her recovery.

"I'm an eight year survivor and I'm feeling great. I'm healthy. The race got me to be healthy again, like the thing that was my incentive to get better," she said.

Over 20,000 people took part in last year's run, raising $6 million in much-needed funding. But beyond the money, the Race For The Cure is meant to celebrate life and honor those who have lost the battle against breast cancer.

Did you participate or donate to the cause? Let us know in the comments section below...