Nathan Benderson Park is wearing pink all October, and the whole Suncoast is invited. The park’s United in Pink initiative brings a month of events for Breast Cancer Awareness Month, starting with Pink Fridays. Park staff will be in pink, free snacks are available from 7 to 10 a.m., and your photos and messages can appear on the park’s digital boards as a tribute to survivors, patients, and loved ones lost.
The centerpiece of the month is the Making Strides Against Breast Cancer walk on Saturday, October 24. More than 6,000 participants are expected to fill the park for one of the largest awareness events on the Gulf Coast. Among them will be Survivors in Sync, a dragon boat team of breast cancer survivors founded in 2013. Coach Angela Long, a survivor herself, describes the team as a place for healing, peer support, physical activity, and hope after a diagnosis.
Want to see what dragon boating is all about? On November 7, Survivors in Sync hosts a free New Paddler Day for survivors and supporters. No experience is needed. As park marketing director Marnie Buchsbaum puts it, the message this month is simple: you’re not alone. Will we see you at the park in pink this October?
