BEVERLY — Mother's Day was once again celebrated on foot Sunday as the the Beverly Breast Cancer Walk stepped off from Ridge Park.
The walk that began at 8 a.m. from the park at 9625 S. Longwood Drive in Beverly enjoyed a sunny day, which always helps to boost attendance, said Pat Morley, the development coordinator for the Little Company of Mary Hospital Foundation.
The hospital in nearby Evergreen Park uses the proceeds from the event to fund its Comprehensive Breast Health Center. This includes providing patients with clinical trials, funding equipment updates and offering individual support to those diagnosed with the disease, Morley said.
The Beverly Breast Cancer walk began in 2000 and has since become the largest such fundraiser on Mother's Day throughout the Chicago area. [DNAinfo/Little Company of Mary Hospital]
Some 14,000 people participated in the walk last year in the rain. That effort raised $550,000, and organizers were hoping to top those figures Sunday. Since its inception, the Beverly walk has amassed more than $4 million for the hospital's local fight against breast cancer.
In fact, the Beverly Breast Cancer Walk has already surpassed similar walks and fundraisers held Downtown. The neighborhood walk on the Far Southwest Side began in 2000 as an off-shoot of Y-Me's then-preeminent Mother's Day Race Against Breast Cancer.
Various teams gathered at Ridge Park on Sunday ahead of the Beverly Breast Cancer Walk. The event typically draws upward of 14,000 people. [DNAinfo/Little Company of Mary Hospital]
Carol Moriarty, who is a breast cancer survivor, her sister Nancy Mulcah and friend Lisa O’Brien opted to walk in their neighborhood rather than fight the crowds at the Y-Me fundraiser. What began as a modest stroll has evolved into the biggest Mother's Day walk in the Chicago area as the rise of the Beverly Breast Cancer Walk followed the abrupt shutdown of Y-Me in 2012.
Much of this success is credited to homeowners along the 3.3-mile route. Some residents decorate their homes for the occasion with modest flair such as pink ribbons around fence posts while others hang hundreds of bras from trees.
Still others along the route open up their driveways and garages to local bands, Irish dance troupes, exercise demonstrations and more. Enjoy some pictures from the event, courtesy of the hospital staff.
Members of the Beverly Breast Cancer Walk committee gather with Dr. Jilma Patrick (third from left). The fellowship-trained breast surgeon at Little Company of Mary Hospital was among thousands who participated in the 17th annual event. [DNAinfo/Little Company of Mary Hospital]
Breast cancer survivors were invited to a special area for recognition Sunday as part of the Beverly Breast Cancer Walk. The event is held annually on Mother's Day. [DNAinfo/Little Company of Mary Hospital]
For more neighborhood news, listen to DNAinfo Radio here:
