Durham Bulls Athletic Park turns pink this weekend in honor of the 30th annual Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure in the Triangle. 

This year’s event will feature new pre- and post-race celebrations. 

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For Laura Wickwar, this year’s event also marks an important milestone in her breast cancer journey: 35 years as a survivor. 

Sitting in her Raleigh home, Wickwar was struck by how the number of women in the survivor photos has grown since the first year of the race in 1996.

“I remember the first year, it was under 100,” Wickwar said. “As the years go on, I have all the different survivor photos and I can pick myself out of one, but 10-15 years later I can’t pick myself out because there’s hundreds of women in the survivor photo.”

Wickwar was on the planning committee for Susan G. Komen’s first race in the Raleigh area. She says the growth in the years since is a reflection of advances in research and greater advocacy. 

“It shows how women are taking care of their health. I’m so proud of the progress,” Wickwar said. “The advances that have come since I had breast cancer are just astounding, and I had wonderful care when I was diagnosed. I was blessed.”

Now 67, Wickwar said she was 31 when she was diagnosed. She told WRAL she remembers going to the emergency room for what she thought were symptoms tied to anxiety. 

“I was having some pain in my chest so I went to the emergency room. They did an EKG and tests, and everything was normal. Then they said ‘Let’s do a mammogram,’” she said. 

That was Wickwar’s first ever mammogram. 

“I was in my 30s, I was a new mom. It was a big surprise,” Wickwar said. “It was a big shock. I had never had a mammogram before and never really thought about breast cancer before.”

Wickwar later learned both her mother and grandmother had also had breast cancer. 

When asked if her cancer journey changed her perspective on life, Wickwar said, “I think I've always been a ‘think happy’ person and think positive and count my blessings. Facing cancer tested that, but I don’t think it changed how I am to my core.”

The breast cancer survivor said she now uses her story to advocate for other women to speak up and get help if they notice even minor symptoms. 

“If you find out you have breast cancer and you go through whatever you need to go through: whether it’s a lumpectomy, mastectomy, chemo or radiation, you have a super good chance of living. I think that’s why you see so many women being survivors now,” Wickwar said. 

The 5-year survival rate for breast cancer when caught in stage 1 is now between 98-100%, according to Susan G. Komen. 

Participants on Saturday can enter the site at 7 a.m. The event begins at 8:15 a.m. with the survivors’ Parade of Hope. 

The race for both runners and walkers kicks off at 9 a.m. The one-mile and 5K routes begin outside of the Durham Bulls Athletic Park. 

Parking is free in lots along West Pettigrew Street north of American Tobacco Campus. Parking decks on race day cost $10.