Especially For You raises $452,000, draws thousands

The annual Especially For You Race Against Breast Cancer this weekend raised more than $452,000 to provide financial assistance for local health care services.

The 28th 5K run, walk and family fun walk event drew 15,198 registrations for Sunday's event in Cedar Rapids, kicked off outside Mercy Medical Center and ended in the NewBo District.

According to a news release from Mercy, the more than $452,000 raised in race registrations will help provide financial assistance for breast and gynecological cancer screenings and other related services for area individuals in need.

In the last 10 years, the Especially for You fund has helped more than 6,400 individuals obtain about 14,000 different services in Linn County, according to officials.

Last year's race drew 14,700 registrants and raised about $481,000 for the fund.

This weekend's race participants represented 455 cities, 31 states and some 'were from as far away as the Netherlands,” according to the news release.

Of the participants, 756 cancer survivors registered for this year's event.

It also drew 460 registered teams. The top business team was Mercy Medical Center with 1,227 members and the top family team was Team Deb: Live Life Until The End with 177 members.

The 2018 race results can be found especiallyforyourace.org.

Especially For You Race Against Breast Cancer was founded by Mercy and General Mills in 1991. The race and its fund is dedicated to Sandy Knight, a General Mills employee who died of breast cancer the same year. According to officials, it was her wish to raise funds for breast cancer awareness and education.

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