Registration Open for Largest Breast Cancer Research Fundraiser in CT

Registration for the 2025 “RACE IN THE PARK” is now open. The popular annual event will again bring people together from all across Connecticut – and neighboring states across the region - to raise money to advance breast cancer research and education, making a difference locally in the fight against breast cancer.

A statewide nonprofit organization, the Connecticut Breast Health Initiative (CT BHI), hosts the annual fundraising event in New Britain’s historic Walnut Hill Park, to be held this year on Saturday, May 10, amidst Mother’s Day Weekend. It is the largest fundraiser to support leading-edge breast cancer research in Connecticut.

“Research is the answer to cancer,” said Joyce Bray, president of the Connecticut Breast Health Initiative (CT-BHI) Board of Directors. “100% raised in Connecticut. 100% stays in Connecticut. And the research conducted right here is tangible and life-changing. Funds raised are targeted at measurable change and have an impact on individual lives and the life of our families and communities.”

With generous public and corporate support from the annual event for two decades, more than $4.6 million and 113 grants have been provided for research and education initiatives, with 100% of funds raised staying in Connecticut. For 22 years, the RACE IN THE PARK has fueled local breast cancer research.

The theme this year is “Hope in Action" – Measurable Change in Real Time! CT BHI raises much- needed funds because “we believe research lS the answer to cancer,” explains Joyce Bray. “Every dollar contributed will impact progress in finding answers to breast cancer and supporting survivorship quality of life.” CT BHI, she adds, is “not only to hoping for a world without breast cancer, but dedicated to taking ACTION, to making change, to finding answers by supporting breast cancer research.”

Funds raised from the RACE IN THE PARK bring statewide benefits. Grants have been provided to support breast cancer research and education initiatives across the state, including to researchers and healthcare organizations in Bridgeport, Danbury, Farmington, Hartford, Middletown, New Britain, New Haven, Norwalk, and Stamford.

Four Honorary Chairs Announced for 2025 RACE IN THE PARK

The impressive and dedicated Honorary Chairs for this year’s annual RACE IN THE PARK on Saturday, May 10 are:

• Dr. Eric Winer is Director of the Yale Cancer Center, President and Physician-in-Chief, Smilow Cancer Hospital, Deputy Dean for Cancer Research, Yale School of Medicine. An internationally renowned expert in breast cancer, Dr. Winer has led and collaborated on innumerable clinical trials that have changed the face of the disease. His work has touched almost all aspects of breast cancer and he is particularly well known for his work in HER2 positive disease.
• Valerie Powell-Stafford, MHSA, FACHE is President, Saint Francis Hospital, Trinity Health System, and also oversees Mount Sinai Rehabilitation Hospital. She arrived in Hartford in 2024 with over 25 years of experience, most recently as President and CEO of HCA Northside Hospital, in Florida. There she spearheaded the recruitment of new physicians, implementation of a robotic surgical program, and development of a nursing school on the hospital campus. She began her career as an Administrative Fellow and Associate Director of Ambulatory Services at Yale New Haven Hospital.
• Dr. Pramod Srivastava is Director of the UConn Health Carole and Ray Neag Comprehensive Cancer Center. An accomplished leader in basic and translational research, he is a professor and interim chairman of the Department of Immunology, director of the Center for Immunotherapy of Cancer and Infectious Diseases, and part of the leadership team of the Connecticut Institute for Clinical and Translational Science (CICATS). He has earned international acclaim for his groundbreaking work in the immunological function of heat shock proteins and in cancer immunology.
• Gina Calder, MBA, MPH, FACHE is Central Region President of Hartford Healthcare, with a wealth of leadership experience in healthcare transformation and community engagement. She has earned national recognition for quality, innovation, and her commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion. Named by Hartford Business Journal in 2024 as one of the Health Care Power 25.

To register or pledge for this event, which includes a 5K Race and 4K/1 Mile Walk, and Kids’ Fun Runs, visit www.ctbhi.org. Individuals and teams are welcome.

Early adult registrants will receive an early bird special price of $27, through February 28, and the registration fee will then increase incrementally during the following weeks. For youth ages 5-17, early registration is $20 for participation in the Kids Fun Run. There is also a virtual 5K Run/Walk. Details are provided on the CT BHI website. Guest tickets to the RACE Day Survivor Breakfast are also now available.

The rate of female breast cancer in Connecticut’s population is the second highest in the United States. It is estimated that more than 3,000 new cases of breast cancer will be diagnosed in Connecticut women this year. A breast cancer diagnosis is second only to lung cancer. Nationally, 30% of female cancers diagnosed are breast cancer, and there were 300,000 new cases among women in 2023; 2,000 cases among men. Approximately 13% of the female population in the U.S. will develop breast cancer in their lifetime.

“Every person who participates, every dollar donated, brings us closer to the next breakthrough and ultimately a cure,” Bray noted. “This is the largest program of its kind in the state. And we are proud to support the groundbreaking research underway in Connecticut, thanks to our dedicated donors, participants and volunteers.”

The RACE IN THE PARK – always a family-centered day - will again offer options including a 5K run, a 4K/1 mile walk, and two Kids’ Fun Runs (1 mile and ½ mile). Each course includes a loop around Historic Walnut Hill Park, and participants in the 5K also run through the surrounding neighborhood. Racers can expect to see enthusiastic local residents standing on their front lawns, cheering them on.

“Research is the answer to cancer. 100% of funds raised in Connecticut, stays in Connecticut, supporting research and education. And the research conducted right here is tangible and life changing.”

The RACE IN THE PARK celebrates survivors with a wonderfully upbeat RACE Day Survivor Breakfast at the start of the day alongside the RACE course. The Survivor Breakfast is free for RACE-registered survivors; guests are welcome for a small fee. Public parking is available nearby, adjacent to Walnut Hill Park.

RACE IN THE PARK activities also include a Beer Garden by Hooker Brewing Company, Food Trucks, a Silent Auction/Auction Raffle Tent, Merchandize Tent, Build in the Park, on-site Touch-a-Truck for kids, and live music.

In recent years, researchers at MidState Medical Center, UConn Health Center, Yale University, Saint Francis Hospital and Medical Center, Middlesex Hospital, Norwalk Hospital, Hospital of Central Connecticut and Stamford Health have been among the grant recipients, as CT BHI has continued to provide grants to Connecticut facilities on the frontlines of breast cancer healthcare and research.

Recent grants have been awarded to initiatives including: UConn Health, Bridgeport Hospital, Hospital of Central Connecticut Breast Health Program, Saint Francis Comprehensive Women’s Health Center Breast Health Outreach Program; Lymphedema Clinical Program at Hartford HealthCare Rehabilitation Network/The Hospital of Central CT Rehabilitation For Breast Health; and Novel Therapeutic Targeting of Metastatic Breast Cancer and the Biomedical Engineering Department Personalized 3D Printed Breast Forms Project – University of Connecticut Health Center.

The RACE IN THE PARK brings people together, affirms community spirit, and reflects a camaraderie of respect and honor, resilience, and remembrance. Anyone of high school age or older is encouraged to volunteer on the day before, or the day of, the event. More information about volunteer opportunities is available on THE RACE website.

Opportunities to Sponsor, Support Research in Connecticut

Sponsorships also remain available for area businesses, associations, and organizations, and the support of sponsors is critically important to ensure that research can continue to be funded. For information about a range of sponsorship opportunities, contact Joyce Bray at info@ctbhi.org.

“The entire community really comes together to support this wonderful family day,” Bray observes. “We are tremendously grateful for the support of our sponsors, and our dedicated volunteers are the backbone of the event. They ensure that all goes smoothly, which makes it a truly memorable experience for every participant.”

For more information about the RACE IN THE PARK and the Connecticut Breast Health Initiative, or to make a donation or learn about corporate sponsorships – including in-kind sponsorships – visit www.ctbhi.org.