Inmates raise $7,000 for breast cancer research

For the third year in a row, Pat McGiffin, a caseworker at NNCC and breast cancer survivor, organized the nation's only state prison walk sanctioned by the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation.

This year, four other Nevada prisons joined NNCC in the Sunday march, each at their own locations -- Lovelock, Nevada State Prison, Stewart Conservation Camp and Warm Springs held their own marches with about 50 inmates each.

"If all projections come in we will have raised about $7,000," said a pleased McGiffin.

Many of the participants had the names of breast cancer survivors and victims tacked to the backs of their Race for the Cure t-shirts - some of the names being family members of corrections officers who sponsored the inmates, McGiffin said.

About 25 inmates confined to wheelchairs also participated, and the prison's honor guard, comprised of corrections officers, went to Reno to help with

crowd control for Northern Nevada's larger walk.

Races were held in more than 100 U.S. cities and three foreign countries Sunday with over 1.3 million participants.

It is the largest series of 5k runs/fitness walks in the world.

Money raised helps fund important breast cancer research as well as breast health initiatives on a local level. Seventy-five percent of the local

proceeds will go to Tahoe Hospital Adams House Cancer Resource Center with the remainder going to the Komen Foundatin.

A minimum of 25 percent of Race proceeds helps fund breast cancer research and project grants awarded through Komen Foundation Headquarters.

"It was a really neat effort," McGaffin said. "Everybody was having a blast."