Racing to Put More People in the Pink

Marco Mancini, who ran with the 119-member Italian team, noted that his wife is a breast-cancer survivor.

"You don't realize it until you have a friend or a relative. Then you realize how many people are affected by this terrible thing," said Mancini, his country's consul in Washington.

The founder of the Susan G. Komen race organization, Nancy G. Brinker, said the funds raised would be particularly important to the District, which has an unusually high breast-cancer rate.

"The needs here are huge," said Brinker. Her sister, Susan G. Komen, died of the disease.

The Susan G. Komen race organization raised $267 million nationwide in the last fiscal year, making it one of the largest medical philanthropies. Last year, it spent $70 million on public health education, $60 million to fund research and awards, $27 million on health screenings and $13 million on treatment. It has earned a top rating from Charity Navigator, a leading charity watchdog.

Some of those participating in yesterday's event were honoring the memory of cherished relatives killed by the disease. And yet, the mood among many participants was celebratory.

Claudean Robinson, 57, a human-resources manager from Cheverly, found out she had breast cancer in February, and she has had several operations. She underwent outpatient surgery on the eve of the race, she said, but still managed to walk part of the route.

Asked what the race signified to her, she said: "It meant I'm not alone. It's just so encouraging to me to continue to be positive and give back to other women."

Staff writer Philip Rucker and researcher Magda Jean-Louis contributed to this report.