The American Cancer Society Launches 2026 Making Strides Against Breast Cancer Season

The American Cancer Society (ACS) officially kicked off the 2026 ‘Making Strides Against Breast Cancer’ season in San Diego on Friday, August 7th, with An Evening of Leadership & Impact at Snapdragon Stadium, bringing together community leaders, healthcare advocates, business executives and supporters committed to creating a future without breast cancer.

Hosted by the SDSU Mission Valley Innovation District, the event featured a dynamic panel discussion, "Advancing Women's Health & Access to Care," exploring the importance of early detection, equitable access to care, American Cancer Society patient support programs, and continued investment in research along the role business leaders play in driving meaningful community impact.

The discussion was moderated by Hala Madanat, Ph.D., Vice President for Research and Innovation at San Diego State University, and featured:

• Pamela Gray Payton, Chief Impact & Partnerships Officer, San Diego Foundation and the 2026 Making Strides Honoree

• Christa Carone, Executive Vice President and Chief Marketing Officer, LPL Financial

• Anna Crowe, Founder and CEO, Crowe PR

• Ida Khodami, investor and entrepreneur

The event explored the importance of early detection, featuring powerful stories from breast cancer survivors and conversations around access to healthcare and screenings. Panelists also highlighted the important role companies and business leaders can play in normalizing conversations around health—from creating workplace cultures that empower employees to prioritize screenings and doctor’s appointments to investing in oncology and medical device innovations that improve patient care and outcomes.

“Every conversation about breast cancer has the power to inspire action, and that's exactly what we accomplished during our August 7 panel discussion,” said Chelsy Clark, American Cancer Society Senior Executive Director in San Diego. “We look forward to carrying this momentum into our Making Strides Against Breast Cancer Walk and 5K on October 18, where every step and every dollar raised helps advance lifesaving research, provide critical patient support, and bring us closer to ending breast cancer as we know it, for everyone. We invite the entire San Diego community to join us in helping ensure that everyone has an opportunity to prevent, detect, treat, and survive breast cancer."

The evening also highlighted the mission of Making Strides Against Breast Cancer, the nation's largest breast cancer movement, which raises funds to support groundbreaking research, patient support programs, and advocacy efforts to improve outcomes for everyone affected by breast cancer.

There are more than 4 million breast cancer survivors in the United States, and 1 in 8 women will be diagnosed with breast cancer during their lifetime. In the US in 2026, there will be an estimated 321,910 new cases of invasive breast cancer diagnosed in women and 2,670 cases in men, including 34,170 cases in California. At Making Strides walks, every step counts. Participant efforts become tangible support for research, patient services, and advocacy. Thanks in large part to decades of work by the American Cancer Society, a breast cancer diagnosis does not come without hope, and the breast cancer journey is not one that is traveled alone. The San Diego community is joining forces to raise $1 million in support of anyone impacted by breast cancer.

The event was made possible through the support of presenting sponsor LPL Financial and supporting sponsors Illumina, ACE Relocation Systems, Axos Bank, Qualcomm, among others.

Making Strides Against Breast Cancer is the biggest breast cancer movement in the nation with the annual fundraising event and walk coming back alongside a new 5k run to be held on Sunday, October 18, 2026, starting at 7 a.m., at SDSU Mission Valley River Park & Snapdragon Stadium.

For more information about Making Strides Against Breast Cancer of San Diego: MakingStridesWalk.org/SanDiego

About the American Cancer Society
The American Cancer Society is a leading cancer-fighting organization with a vision to end cancer as we know it, for everyone. For more than 110 years, we have been improving the lives of people with cancer and their families as the only organization combating cancer through advocacy, research, and patient support. We are committed to ensuring everyone has an opportunity to prevent, detect, treat, and survive cancer. To learn more, visit cancer.org or call our 24/7 helpline at 1-800-227-2345. Connect with us on Facebook, X, and Instagram.