A river of pink glow sticks, light-up necklaces, T-shirts, hats and more flowed along Route 209 in Gilbert, illuminating a dark and cloudy Thursday night with a message of hope and awareness.

The West End Pink Light Walk drew a mass of breast cancer survivors, families, friends, and health care professionals to drum up awareness and inspire positive thinking for those who have experience with the disease."This is our 13th year, lucky 13," one of the organizers, Hope Christman said. "We have a great turnout. We've seen a lot of the same familiar faces that have been with us for thirteen years, and a lot of new faces. It makes us happy, and it makes us sad. A lot of the times breast cancer has affected them, or someone in their life, so they come here to join us. We really just try to build a community here around breast cancer awareness."The walk, which was hosted at the American Legion Post 927, was organized by Kathie Maltez, Fern Smith, Mariann Ferro, Nancy Dougherty, Kim Mannello, Deana Burger, and Christman. Mike Hurley and Tom Dougherty provided parking and logistical assistance, and the West End Fire Company handled traffic and safety for the walkers.Jenny Hackett Kuntz played acoustic guitar and sang while walkers registered, chatted, and checked out basket raffles. A large table featured a collection of miniature wine bottles in gift-wrapped glasses, a present for survivors in attendance.Setting the pace for the walk was a brilliant pink Volkswagen Beetle, a new addition to the event."We purchased the Bug about seven years ago," owner and driver Lisa Hahn said. "In Rhode Island, where it came from, the dealer painted seven of them for breast cancer awareness. I'm the third owner of the Buggy."Girl Scout Troop #50812 trailed behind with a "Pink Light Walk for Breast Cancer Awareness" banner, echoing the chants of their troop leader, Ana Piel."What do we want? A cure! When do we want it? Now!" Piel called out to the crowd.Looping back to Fairgrounds Road, the walk concluded at the Legion with pink frosted cupcakes, coffee, and cider. The girls of Brownie Troop #52309 handed out pink flowers to each of the survivors in the crowd, triggering smiles and hugs throughout the hall."I just realized today that I'm an 18-year survivor," Pennsylvania Breast Cancer Coalition representative Honi Gruenberg said to a round of applause. Gruenberg went on to list some of the services of the group, including advocacy promotion, access to direct patient services, and Mother's Day mammograms.Speakers like Jesse Keiper, a financial counselor in the oncology unit at St. Luke's University Health Network, offered support with the obvious monetary concerns that treatment incurs."My role at the hospital is to maintain your financial wellbeing while you're going through your cancer journey," Keiper said. "I'm there to bring your stress level down, talk about your insurance plan with you, talk about your options, and look for money from outside foundations and resources to help offset your cost," Keiper said.In addition, Keiper pushed for positivity and resilience, knowing firsthand the difficulties of breast cancer."Not only am I a St. Luke's employee, but I'm a three-year breast cancer survivor myself," Keiper said. Diagnosed at 31 with triple-negative breast cancer, with a young daughter who was just finishing kindergarten, she went through a double mastectomy, months of chemotherapy, radiation treatments, and a complete hysterectomy."I wear both hats. I've been in the infusion chair, I've been on the radiation table, I've been through multiple surgeries. I understand what it's like," Keiper said. Despite all that she has been through, Keiper has been able to finish her degree, obtain a master's degree on top of that, and keep a full-time job while taking care of her daughter.Rounding out the program was Joy Silverstein of the American Cancer Society's "Look Good, Feel Better" program, which helps women with cancer cope with physical changes during illness and treatment, offering styling techniques for cosmetics, wigs, and other items."There's talented people here, people who will mostly talk to you for hours, talk your ear off," Silverstein, a two-year survivor herself, said of the support that the group offers.As the festivities wound down and crew members began cleaning up the hall, attendees filed out to the lots with smiles and a sense of community."We really just try to build a community around breast cancer awareness," Christman said. "So many of us are active in the community, and people who have been diagnosed, or even friends of those who were diagnosed, sometimes they don't know where to turn. We let them know that they have us."