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Race for the Cure: Top Fundraiser PFT 'Walking The Walk' For Their 7th Year

PHILADELPHIA (CBS)--This Sunday is the 27th Annual Susan G. Komen Philadelphia Race for the Cure.

It's one of the biggest breast cancer fundraising events in the country--runners and walkers team up to do their part  to raise money.

Our Kate Bilo sat down with a team captain who heads up one of the top fundraisers in Philadelphia.

Every Mother's Day the Philadelphia Museum of Art is surrounded by a sea of pink.

The Philadelphia race is one of the longest-running and most successful in the country.

Each year about $2 million is raised, much of it from dedicated fundraising teams.

"Routinely we raise over $20,000 for Komen and we're extremely proud of that," said Joan McGowan.

One of those teams is made up of members of the Philadelphia Federation of Teachers (PFT).

"PFT Walks the Walk" is routinely the top fundraiser in the "community groups category."

McGowan is team captain.

"I really can't stress enough how generous our members are, they just come through," said McGowan. "Year after year our fundraising level has not dropped even we know our membership numbers drop, they just keep donating and donating."

This will be the 7th year that "PFT Walks the Walk" is raising money for a disease that has touched Joan's family.

"My maternal grandmother passed away in 1974 from breast cancer, so losing her at a relatively young age, I think I was in 9th grade at the time, really had an impact," said McGowan.

On Mother's Day, Joan will be at the art museum along with her co-workers and friends doing her part to find a cure .

"You can't describe what you feel when you're there and the impact it makes on you and how important you are in preventing this from happening to other people," she says. "I get a little bit choked up just thinking about seeing those survivors of all ages young women, young men, to more senior men and women walking down those steps."

The survivor parade is one of the most emotional moments of the morning, but one that proves breast cancer is a disease that you can survive.

"My only remaining aunt, is a two-time breast cancer survivor, so she's the one who yearly on my birthday card says 'get your mammo, my Aunt Marge.'"

There's still time to register and donate: https://runsignup.com/Race/PA/Philadelphia/Komen5K 

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