For two years, a team of local volunteers has created a special Legacy Race Battling Breast Cancer, supporting those in our community with breast cancer and those at risk. The goal was to bring the community together to bring back a local race – and they made it happen.

As the organizers say, “We believe that together we can make a positive impact on the lives of those affected by this disease.” Leading the way are co-founders Joan Schulz and Nancetta Westcott and their committee.

The Legacy Race and donations are under the umbrella of the nonprofit Norris Penrose Legacy Foundation.

The inaugural race in 2024 raised over $100,000 and the second one, last Oct. 4, drew almost 600 people to run or walk 1-mile or 5K loops starting and finishing at Norris Penrose Stadium. More than $130,000 was raised for essential services, resources and support for those on their “breast cancer journey” and their families. The 2026 event will be on the familiar date, Oct. 4.

Groups receiving grants from the October race were treated to an evening at Norris Penrose Stadium for the announcements and plans for this year.

Project Angel Heart provides nutritious meals for patients and families during treatment. In 2025 that was 3,000 meals. The program continues.

Sisters Hope offers retreats for women who have recently completed treatment, with focuses on self-reflection, education
and identifying positive life changes. Included are workshops on “yoga, journaling, art as therapy, nutrition and sexuality, helping these
women to move through their treatment into their new normal.”

UCHealth used its 2025 grant to provide over $8,000 in grocery cards and $4000 to help those suffering from lymphedema. This grant will provide “post-surgical garments, meal support, appointment binders and radiation garments to improve the quality of life for their patients undergoing treatment for breast cancer.”‘

CommonSpirit’s 2025 grant provided post-surgical garments for patients and for grocery cards. The new grant will also provide grocery cards as well as funding for an educational event for patients and providers.

Peak Vista’s first grant had helped create a breast cancer awareness event for the public and provided information about screening and early detection in English and Spanish to more than 4,300 people. A second breast cancer awareness event will be offered because of this year’s grant.

A new grant recipient was YMCA of the Pikes Peak Region and the money will support a YMCA/Livestrong program for breast cancer survivors who have
completed treatment. A free 12-week program helps them to “regain
strength, improve physical fitness and enhance overall quality of life.”

New grantee Image Reborn has two-day, no-cost retreats for Colorado breast cancer survivors where they can “build emotional resilience, reduce stress and find meaningful community.” There will be three retreats, two in Dillon and one in Breckenridge that is for deaf women.

The Legacy Race research grant will be repeated for the Young Women’s Breast Cancer Translational Program at CU Anschutz, led by Dr. Virginia Borges. The research “allowed them to identify a gene that dramatically
increased the risk of distant metastasis in post-partum breast cancer
patients. The cutting-edge research will help identify how to move a novel drug into a phase 1 trial in the next few years.”

For Legacy Race information: legacyrace.org