Story by Woody Woodard, Photography by Woody Woodard & Kristina Only

The crowd starting building early at the Carl Perkins Civic Center for the 2016 “Runway for a Cure.” Attendees honor cancer survivors and patients who bravely confront the illness and hold a determination to come out the other side healed. Though they endure the treatments personally, they have support groups who strive to relieve some of the daily tasks that currently are a burden they may not be able to handle. Boutiques which supported this important cause proudly donated money so a night of awareness could be made through a fun and fashionable way. Each boutique walked the runway to showcase their latest fall fashions and help encourage the survivors.

This year a group of supporters known as Real Men Wear Pink supported the survivors by wearing pink and walking down the runway. It may have been a shy thing years ago for men to wear pink, but with the great awareness many men proudly wear pink as a badge of honor for the women walking the path of cancer.  None of us are immune to this disease whether we are a family member, friend, child or supporter of someone battling it.