Brad VanRiper

LINKS Charity and UPMC Chautauqua will host the eighth annual “LINKS Pink 5K Walk/Run: A Celebration of Courage” presented by Univera Healthcare on Saturday, Oct. 6, at Northwest Arena.

The event will celebrate the courage of those who have faced breast cancer. All proceeds stay in Chautauqua County to enhance breast cancer care.

The LINKS Pink Walk festivities will begin Friday night with pre-registration at Northwest Arena from 5-7 p.m. Saturday morning at 8 a.m., registration and many family-friendly activities including face painting and coloring table for children, among other events. At 9 a.m., LINKS Charity will pay tribute to the courage of all those who have been diagnosed with breast cancer, including a moment of remembrance for Brad VanRiper, who lost his battle with cancer in May 2018.

In Brad’s honor, the charity will be celebrating his life and his 10 years of dedication to LINKS Charity by giving all registrants a pink mustache to wear. This also brings awareness that breast cancer not only affects just women, but it also affects men. The U.S. detects over 2,550 new cases of invasive breast cancer in men each year. (This is about 1 percent of all breast cancer cases)

Also taking place will be the welcoming of LINKS Charity’s new executive director, Mike Roberts.

“I am honored to be working with all the talented event organizers of Link’s Charity and humbled by our mission to help provide the best cancer treatment equipment to our community,” he said. “Thank you to all the walkers, volunteers and Sponsors of our walk and golf tournament for your support of this worthy cause.”

Following the walk, attendees and event volunteers will be treated a complimentary lunch by Panera Bread, Pepsi, and Brookdale Lakewood. At that time, attendees will continue to enjoy the pink-themed activities along with LIVE music provided by Happy Days.

Along with lunch, each registered walker ($15 per person) and 5K ($25 per person) participant will receive a complimentary pink event t-shirt to wear during the walk and a pink mustache. Walkers and Runners are encouraged to have pledges made to the event.

Walkers are encouraged to pre-register and join a team on-line at or register on-line at www.runsignup.com or call Megan Barone, director of development, UPMC Chautauqua at 664-8423 for Pre-Registration Forms and Pledge Sheets.

LINKS Charity continues their $400,000 pledge toward the purchase of the Discovery 630 system. This cutting-edge technology will compliment LINKS Charity’s most recent gift ($300,000) to aid in the diagnosis of breast cancer through the purchase of the 3-D Tomosynthesis which is now operational in the UPMC Chautauqua Center for Imaging & Medical Arts. LINKS Charity and UPMC Chautauqua recognize that early detection means faster intervention, more treatment options, and improved survival rates.

In addition to the major and associate sponsors of LINKS Charity (Truck Lite, Cummins, ALSTAR EMS, United Refining, The Bilicki Law Firm, Jamestown Savings Bank, and Northwest Savings Bank), the Presenting Sponsor of the 2018 LINKS Pink Walk is Univera Healthcare.

To learn more about the LINKS Pink 5K Walk/Run or to sponsor the walk, please contact Megan Barone, Director of Development at 664-8423 or email, Baronema3@upmc.edu.