12th annual Pink Light Walk draws 200

Pink was indeed the “in” color for a group of people devoted to increase awareness of breast cancer.

About 200 people took to the streets of Lehighton to participate in the 12th annual Lehighton Area Lioness Lions Club Pink Light Walk held on Tuesday.

Participants gathered in the parking lot of the Lehighton Recreation Center, where many spent time signing the “Pink Heals” fire truck.

From there, participants — all decked out in pink — walked from the recreation center to the Lehighton Amphitheater, where a ceremony followed.

Jane Longazel of Jim Thorpe, a 20-year survivor, was the keynote speaker for the event.

Longazel was diagnosed with inflammatory breast cancer, a rare type of breast cancer that often starts in the soft tissues of the breast and causes the lymph vessels in the skin of the breast to become blocked. As a result, the breast may become firm, tender, itchy, red and warm due to increased blood flow and a buildup of white blood cells.

Longazel said funds from the event are donated to the Pennsylvania Breast Cancer Coalition, which represents, supports and serves breast cancer survivors and their families in Pennsylvania through educational programming, legislative advocacy and breast cancer research grants.

“Lehighton is very supportive of that coalition,” Longazel said.

As part of the ceremony, breast cancer survivors were recognized, with each stating their name and how long they have been a survivor.

By the end of the ceremony, there were 180 years worth of survivors on stage.

Longazel emphasized the importance of early detection.

“It does happen to men as well as women,” Longazel said.

Afterward, participants made their way back to the recreation center for light refreshments and an “In the Pink” raffle.

Sharon Ketchledge, event co-chair, said the event is a “great thing for the community.”

“It brought a lot of awareness out for breast cancer,” Ketchledge said. “Twenty years ago, you would not see men in pink, and now it’s a great thing.”

There was no charge to participate in the event, and each participant who registered received a bag with useful information and other small prizes.

The annual PA Breast Cancer conference will be held in Harrisburg on Friday. For more information about the conference, visit pabreastcancer.org.