West County Walk raises more than $25,000 for breast cancer research

This year, some West County moms and their families celebrated Mother's Day in an active way by participating in the second annual 2010 West County Walk, a 5-K fundraiser for breast cancer research. From each $25 West County Walk registration fee, $20 went to the St. Louis affiliate of Susan G. Komen for the Cure.

Approximately 150 breast cancer survivors began the walk by taking a lap around the track at Lafayette High School. Organizer Scott Sloyer said that for some participants, that first lap was the only part of the walk they could do.

"A lady who picked up her registration packet Thursday had just had her chemo Monday and Tuesday," Sloyer said. "There's no way she could make the full 3 miles, but she said there was no way she was going to miss the lap, either." 
As the women came off the track, families and friends joined them for the rest of the walk along State Route 100 to Wildwood's Town Center. The crowd was estimated at 1,100.

One 10-year breast cancer survivor, Peggy Koenen, participated in the West County Walk for the first time and said it was definitely easier to get around, compared to the walk held downtown. She walked with her husband, Glenn Koenen, chairman of the West County Chamber of Commerce and executive director of Circle Of Concern in Valley Park. Koenen's daughter, Cassie, and her Jack Russell dog, Kimshe, joined them.

"Doing the walk in May is not as hot as the downtown one in June," Koenen said. "And it was truly inspiring to see so many survivors there. It's all about the camaraderie. We need to celebrate this survivable thing, and say, 'yes, we can do this.'"

Koenen said she is motivated to help raise funds toward breast cancer research because the medical field can make great strides in short periods of time.  
"Just since I've had breast cancer, there are already so many more ways they can treat it now that they couldn't do before," she said. "I'd like to say to recently diagnosed women to hang in there; better times are coming."

Sloyer, of Eureka, said he launched the West County Walk in honor of a dear friend and local teacher, Marlene Bequette, who experienced four types of cancer after she was 20 years old.  "Marlene lost her battle with cancer when she was only 44 years old, just three years ago.  That's why I walk 44 miles at the (American Cancer Society's) Relay For Life every year, too," Sloyer said.
Last year, The West County Walk was held on the same day as the downtown Komen walk, which typically draws 67,000 people, and is the largest of its kind in the nation.

"We wanted to provide an option for those who preferred smaller gatherings, or who couldn't navigate the parking or traffic," Sloyer said.
This year, Sloyer said volunteers decided to try the event on Mother's Day.  
"We thought, 'what better way to honor mothers than that,'" he said.
Sloyer said that he plans to send an e-mail to this year's attendees to see if they would prefer to have the 2011 walk on the Saturday of Mother's Day weekend instead.

"Some people have to be out of town on Mother's Day to see their mom, and some people would like to go to church on Sundays," Sloyer said. "For every person who said having it on the day of the holiday is an issue, probably 20 said they really liked having it on the day."

This year's West County Walk raised "$25,000 and still counting," Sloyer said.