Hot pink Team WRAL t-shirts dot the course at the Race for the Cure.

The Komen Race for the Cure took over Raleigh on Saturday, June 14, 2008, and Team WRAL was at the center of the incredible event.

“The Race was just amazing,” said WRAL-TV Creative Director Shelly Leslie, a driving force behind Team WRAL.  “Seeing that many people on Hillsborough Street just takes your breath away.”

Team WRAL once again met its goal by being the largest corporate team.  Team WRAL ended up with 300 members and have raised over $21,000.  They are hoping to raise the most money of any team and are still collecting money through June 30th.

WRAL-TV’s Kelcey Carlson helps out in the WRAL tent at the Race.

“This is no ordinary race,” said WRAL-TV Anchor Pam Saulsby, who wrote a blog on WRAL.com as she trained for the 2008 event.  “I was among more than 23,700 participants, coming out on a sun-kissed morning, and making a dramatic statement about beating breast cancer.  Organizers say they are close to their $2 million goal.”

Many women, and men, walked and ran for many different reasons

“This year’s race was personal for me,” shared Leslie. “One of my best friends was diagnosed a few months after last year’s race. She’s been through three months of chemo, a mastectomy and is still in radiation. I walked the 5K with her on Saturday. It really brought home the importance of this cause. She’s lucky because she has health insurance, but so, so many women don’t.”  

“I am always touched, moved and inspired by the Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure,” said Saulsby.

Saulsby set a person goal of running the entire 5K without stopping.

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WRAL-TV’s Pam Saulsby emcees from the stage.	Survivors hold pink balloons to release in celebrating of their walking to fight their breast cancer.	Team WRAL members walk side by side with survivors, both intent on helping find a cure.

“There were several points during the race that I felt like quitting,” said Saulsby.  “In those moments, I visualized the faces of women I have known who have suffered and died from this devastating disease.  I told myself to finish for them.  Other times, I recalled the many encouraging e-mails of support I received from the online folks who were following my blog.”

“Komen is a first rate organization,” said Leslie.  “I’m consistently amazed at how personal this event is. Even with 25,000 people, there is this ‘as women, we’re all in this together’ spirit about it. One of my favorite things is as survivors reach the finish line the announcer calls out their name and congratulates them. How do they do that??? It’s a lot of work, and well worth it. I’m honored to lead a team of WRAL/CBC staff committed to such a great cause.  I’m already looking forward to next year.”

Thanks to WRAL-TV’s Shelly Leslie, WRAL-TV’s Bill Burch & WRAL.com’s Kathleen MacGuire for these capcom photos.