Breast cancer survivors, advocates and community members celebrated those who have beaten the disease and worked to bring awareness to the prevalence of cancer Saturday as the annual Queen City Race for Life and Street Strut was held at Meridian Community College’s CD Smith Soccer Field.
Phyllis Holladay, a math instructor at MCC who has helped organize the event for more than 15 years, said the event is held each year in October, which is Breast Cancer Awareness Month.
“So the event is just a way to bring awareness to breast cancer,” she said. “You know, just that yearly reminder for the month of October, being Breast Cancer Awareness Month, just to make sure you’re getting those mammograms, you’re doing those self checks, you’re doing all those things because early detection is definitely key.”
Saturday’s event included a 5k run and walk, followed by a 1-mile fun run for children, introduction of this year’s Queen City Ambassadors and the annual Street Strut. With the strut, Holladay said, survivors decorate umbrellas and then strut in front of judges.
“They strut their umbrella, and we have judges and all that, and it’s just a lot of fun,” she said.
The festivities, however, also go to support those who are struggling or who will struggle with breast cancer, Holladay said.
“All of the funds go to our local cancer patient benevolence fund through Baptist Anderson,” she said.
Serving as ambassadors this year are Taymecca Sears, a 5-year survivor of breast cancer, Pam Mosley, an 8-year survivor, and Tom Bradshaw, who is this year’s caregiver ambassador.
Bradshaw, Holladay said, was a regular participant in the High Heel Dash, a previous part of the annual Street Strut event in which men try to run in high heels.
“Mr. Tom used to run that High Heel Dash every year in honor of his wife, Miss Ladonna, in pink heels and a pink tu-tu, and he has been a trooper and a supporter of Miss Ladonna,” she said.
Ladonna, Holladay said, passed away this spring, but there is no better way to honor her memory than by having Bradshaw serve as one of this year’s ambassadors.
This year’s scholarship winner, Lakeesha McFarland, was unable to attend Saturday’s event in person, Holladay said, as she is a nurse, as well as an MCC student, and had to work.
Started in 2009, the Queen City Race for Life and Street Strut began with just the Street Strut, Holladay said. Over time, the event grew to include the 5k run and walk, door prizes and more.
Following the COVID-19 pandemic, the event was relocated from its original home in downtown Meridian to MCC where it continues to see thriving support from both the community and the college.
“We’re just glad to do it, and it’s one of our most favorite events that we do, and we appreciate the community support,” she said. “And I couldn’t without the college’s support as well.”