Month-long cancer benefit starts Sept. 29

A half-marathon and two fun runs — a 5k and a 10k — are the kick-off events of “Paint it Pink,” a month-long fundraising campaign of Cabinet Peaks Medical Center’s foundation that supports the detection and treatment of breast cancer.

The running events take place Sept. 29. The half-marathon begins at 8 a.m., while the 5k and 10k both start at 9 a.m. A registration form can be found at www.cabinetpeaks.org/getpage.php?name=PIP.

Since its inception in 2007, the campaign “has raised over $70,000 and has helped over 200 local men and women receive free mammograms,” according to a news release.

The campaign’s first year was focused on raising money so the medical center could buy digital mammography equipment. The campaign was so successful that organizers formed a committee and expanded it to benefit the community.

“In recent years, the program has expanded to raise money to further education, help detect and treat the disease locally, and to provide breast ultrasounds in addition to mammograms when clinically necessary,” the news release states.

This year’s fundraising efforts will support the foundation’s drive to purchase a three-dimensional mammography machine.

Other Paint it Pink events during the month include Ladies Night Out on Oct. 1, Logger Pink Week starting Sept. 24, and a Chick Flick the night of Oct. 25.

The month culminates with “Paint the Town Pink Day” on Oct. 26, when “the community is encouraged to wear pink, decorate their homes or businesses in pink, and then take pictures and send them to the Cabinet Peaks Marketing Department at socialmedia@cabinetpeaks.org,” the news release states.

For more information about the campaign or the times and locations of events, call 406-283-7140 or email info@cabinetpeaks.org.