Walk Local. Give Local. Pink-a-Boo Walk of Hope Supports Neighbors Impacted by Cancer

This October, every step can make a difference close to home.

The Cancer Support Center will host its annual Pink-a-Boo Walk of Hope on Sunday, October 18, 2026, at Irwin Park in Homewood, raising critical funds to provide support at no cost to local individuals and families impacted by cancer.

Registration begins at 8 a.m., followed by the 5K and 1-Mile Walk at 9 a.m. Pink-a-Boo also features a 10-Step Survivor Walk, live DJ, and light breakfast refreshments.

Participants can walk individually or create a fundraising team and rally friends, family members, schools, or coworkers.

But behind the celebration is an increasingly important need.

Nearly everyone knows someone whose life has been touched by cancer. - A parent, spouse, child, friend, coworker or neighbor. As the need for cancer support continues to grow, Pink-a-Boo provides an opportunity to do something tangible about it right here in the community.

Every dollar raised stays local, directly supporting Cancer Support Center programs and services. In 2025 alone, more than 1,200 individuals turned to CSC for support through more than 100 different programs and services.

CSC meets people wherever they are on their cancer journey. While the Center can’t change a diagnosis, it can help individuals and families navigate what comes next. From one-on-one counseling and CSC at School to nutrition, fitness, networking groups, wigs and more.

With locations in Homewood and Mokena, along with virtual options, support is available from diagnosis and treatment through survivorship, caregiving, bereavement and beyond.

All at no cost.

“Pink-a-Boo is more than a fundraiser. It’s a celebration of the power of community and the strength that comes from knowing you don’t have to face cancer alone,” said Kristen Lunsford, Executive Director of the Cancer Support Center. “Every person who registers, donates, fundraises or sponsors this event helps make sure someone in our community has a place to turn when cancer changes their life. That support is possible because our community continues to show up for one another.”

A Little Goes a Long Way

At the Cancer Support Center, every contribution makes an impact.

A $50 donation can cover the cost of a wig for someone experiencing hair loss during cancer treatment, while $1,000 can provide one participant with CSC programs and services for an entire year.

Pink-a-Boo participants are encouraged to go beyond registration by creating a personal fundraising page or team. Fundraising incentives include fuzzy socks at $150 raised, a CSC candle at $250, a CSC fleece blanket at $450 and a pink plush robe for participants who raise $750 or more.

Registration is still open. Adult registration is $35 and includes a Pink-a-Boo T-shirt, or $75 for a T-shirt and crewneck sweatshirt. Youth ages 5–17 can participate for $15, and children 5 and younger are free.

Community businesses and organizations can make an impact, too, with Pink-a-Boo sponsorship opportunities beginning at $150.

Turning Personal Experience into Purpose

For CSC Special Events Coordinator Alyssa Dobbs, the event carries an especially personal meaning.

Dobbs is navigating metastatic breast cancer in her second fight against the disease, bringing her own experience to the details that make Pink-a-Boo a meaningful day for those impacted by cancer.

“As a two-time cancer fighter navigating a lifelong diagnosis, raising awareness and support for our organization has become incredibly personal to me,” Dobbs said. “I didn’t know about the Cancer Support Center during my first diagnosis. Now, serving as both an employee and a participant, I want to ensure others facing this disease know they don’t have to navigate it alone.”

Her experience is a reminder of why awareness of resources like CSC matters. No one plans to need cancer support, but when that day comes, knowing there is somewhere local to turn can make a difference.

Cancer Support Doesn’t End When October Does

October puts a spotlight on breast cancer, and Pink-a-Boo proudly celebrates and honors those impacted by breast cancer. But the Cancer Support Center’s mission extends far beyond one type of cancer. - Or one month of the year.

CSC is here year-round for anyone impacted by any type of cancer, at any stage of their journey.

From diagnosis and treatment to survivorship, caregiving, bereavement and beyond, CSC provides a place to turn for support, guidance and connection.

All made possible by the generosity of the community.

Every registration, donation, sponsorship and fundraising effort helps keep that support available to local individuals and families.

Walk for someone you love. Walk for a survivor. Walk in memory of someone. Walk for the neighbor who may need the Cancer Support Center tomorrow.

Walk so no one in our community faces cancer alone.

To register for the Pink-a-Boo Walk of Hope, visit p2p.onecause.com/pinkaboo. To learn more about the Cancer Support Center and the programs and services available at no cost to anyone impacted by cancer, visit cancersupportcenter.org.