By Cheryl Romano/Lincoln Chronicle
This story was first published in the Lincoln Chronicle and is used with permission

After a year off to mourn and regroup after the loss of its co-founder, CoastBusters Walk for Breast Cancer is back this season in a big fundraising way.

Registration is open for two “Comeback” walk-a-thons scheduled to align with Breast Cancer Awareness Month in October – the first on Saturday, Sept. 26 at Newport High School, and the second on Saturday, Oct. 3 at Siuslaw Middle School in Florence.

This  year’s events will be held in memory of Sonia Graham, who co-founded the organization with Jeanette Campagna to support area breast cancer patients and their families.

During last year’s hiatus, organizers worked to secure nonprofit status, a move aimed at spurring more future community donations and support. Now that CoastBusters is officially a 501(c)3, all donations are fully tax deductible under federal rules.

“This comeback year is especially meaningful as we honor Sonia Graham and continue the work she helped begin,” Campagna said in a release.

Participants can register on the CoastBusters’ website.

Businesses, sponsors, volunteers and community partners are also invited to participate, as CoastBusters gears up for what it expects to be its biggest year since its start in 2021. Since then, the group has staged walk-a-thons and other events to help patients and their families along the central coast, raising almost $150,000.

Donations can be made online to support those in Lincoln County and in Lane County. People preferring to write a check may mail it to CoastBusters, P.O. Box 1804, Newport, Ore. 97365. Anyone who donates will get a receipt for their tax-deductible contributions.

Businesses and individuals interested in becoming sponsors can send an email to info@coastbusterswalk.org.

In 2024, the Newport event drew about 200 walkers, with some 100 in Florence. This year, Newport plans on about 225 people, with 125 expected in Florence.

A comeback colored pink

“This comeback year is especially meaningful as we honor Sonia Graham and continue the work she helped begin,” Campagna said.

Community members are encouraged to gather family, friends and neighbors into walking teams. Costumes, team themes, fundraising challenges and “plenty of pink” are encouraged. Pink is the traditional color for breast cancer awareness and benefit activities.

Proceeds from CoastBusters events help pay everyday living expenses such as groceries, utilities and transportation for cancer patients in Lincoln and Lane counties. According to the organization’s website, “Funds are distributed through programs run by local nonprofit organizations serving these areas, ensuring your contributions make a direct and meaningful impact.”

The first CoastBusters Walk for Breast Cancer in 2021 was initially intended as a single event, but its popularity has grown significantly in just a few years.

Campagna and Graham were neighbors and friends in Lincoln County when both were diagnosed with breast cancer months apart in 2019-2020. After their separate and shared cancer journeys, they devised the walk as a way to give back to the community that supported them, and help others facing the disease.

As the group’s website says “The walks are a place where survivors, warriors, and supporters come together to remember, and inspire.”

• Cheryl Romano is a Yachats freelance writer who contributes regularly to Lincoln Chronicle. She can be reached at Wordsell@gmail.com