A sea of pink moved down Rt. 209 in Gilbert, chanting "Do your self exams, Get your Mammograms" and "Join the fight, Make it right, Raise your candle, Light the night" during the Eighth Annual West End Pink Light Walk on Thursday, Oct. 20.

The event has grown from a walk with a guest speaker to now include selling raffle tickets to win prizes, a warm-up stretch with Carmella Heard before the walk from the American Legion Post 927, down Rt. 209 and looping back to the Legion by way of West End Fairground Road. Refreshments were served after the walk and Jill Rehrig helped everyone wind down through some Guided Imagery Meditation.October became National Breast Cancer Awareness Month in 1984 and pink is their signature color.Hope Smith explained how eight years ago she become aware that there was no cancer support group in the West End. With the help of West End Happenings, West End Awards and Honi Grasing, they worked to get the community involved in breast cancer awareness through a Pink Light Walk."Walking down Rt. 209 is very empowering," said Smith.She proudly announced that there would be a cancer support group forming on Thursday, Nov. 10 at 6 p.m. at Cherry's Family Restaurant in Kresgeville.Then Smith invited anyone to talk a few moments about their cancer experience.Carmella Heard told everyone that she had cancer in 1989."When you have cancer, people want to do something for you but people also fear you. They don't know what to do. But even the simplest things mean the world to a cancer victim. I'll give you an example. When I had cancer, I had a friend came to my house and brought in bags of groceries into my kitchen. She didn't just buy me groceries. She cooked me meals and put them in my freezer. She told me she could have cooked them at home, but she wanted to spend time with me. Another example was when I went back to work, a co-worker handed me a calendar. Each day had names of other co-workers and she told me they were going to take me to radiation in Philadelphia. They took their vacation days to do it. I told her, 'No, you can't do this' and she took the calendar out of my hand and said, 'Like you have a choice.' These are the things that helped me survive," Heard said.Honi Grasing, a breast cancer survivor, challenged everyone to make a difference by telling their stories of being a survivor.Two young girls spoke of their 29-year-old aunt who lost her battle with cancer and how much they love and miss her.Mr. Adams, a 10-year-cancer survivor, spoke about his daughter, Candice Adams, a captain in the United States Air Force and breast cancer survivor, and thanked everyone for their prayers. "Your prayers have made a difference." He told them to visit Candice's website,

www.kissestocancer.com and learn how she faced cancer with a no-holds-barred attitude and determination while keeping a sense of humor and never losing her love of all things feminine from her stylish pink wigs and hair bands.The walk and the survivors' stories are meant to bring cancer awareness to everyone so that others may win the battle against the dreaded disease."I am a person, I'm not my cancer, Walk with me, And we'll find the answer!"