Cancer walk raises funds for needy families

Brawley resident Marisela Magallanes fights back tears as she talks about her sister Vicky Castro, who died of cancer.

“She went through cancer twice, first time she beat it; second time, she also beat it, but in a different way,” Magallanes said.

Magallanes and friends, Queens of Hope, are taking part in Saturday’s Brawley Cancer Walk at Cattle Call Park, an event that honors all cancer victims and raises funds to help families fight the disease.

“She was always motivated, even though she was sick. And, however she was feeling and whatever kind of day she was having, she always kept going. She never stopped,” Magallanes said.

Organizer Joseph Ramirez said they hope to raise over $20,000 dollars for the Imperial Valley Cancer Support Center. Several groups of people, like the Queens of Hope, came together to set up booths at the event to sell snacks, raffle items and walk in honor of a loved one – all to raise funds.

“Throughout the day, we have people walking all day and we have teams continuously raising funds,” Ramirez said.

It’s a labor of love for him.

“Years back I lost my mother, my aunt, and my brother in-law to cancer,” Ramirez explained.

This is their first event of a what they plan to make an annual tradition.
“So that we can continue to raise funds for the organization,” Ramirez said.

The funds go to a Brawley organization but the help is for the whole valley, for any family fighting cancer, Ramirez explained to us.

Julie Chavez, a member of Queens of Hope, said her group is raffling off 2 flat-screen TVs and selling baked goods.

Maria Lopez, another member Queens of Hope, said this event “brings the community together, our families come in and support us.”

The website www.cancer.gov states that over half a million people will die of cancer this year.

“If you know of anybody that has cancer or that experienced it, shake their hand, give them a hug,” Ramirez said.