Sunset Park group rides for breast cancer awareness

Riding to stop cancer and give back to those that are suffering from the disease, Sunset Park residents held their second annual Breast Cancer Run on Saturday, October 7.

Screen printing and clothing store Cotton Hustle, 5012 Third Avenue, collaborated with its own motorcycle club and held a fundraiser for the disease by riding to Manhattan and visiting patients with shirts, food and good will.

Organizer Jose Rosario was thrilled to continue the noble tradition. “It went great. We got together at 8:30 a.m.,” he said. “We had breakfast with all the bikers that participated. We started here in Brooklyn in Cotton Hustle. Everyone organized, sold shirts to raise funds, had raffles and then at about 2:30 p.m., we rode over to the city, and got together with about 15 bikers. They were all wearing pink shirts that support cancer awareness.”

The group went to Hope Lodge, 132 West 32nd Street, which is run by the American Cancer Society.

“This hotel houses patients suffering from cancer that probably don’t live in New York or can’t afford the treatment,” Rosario said. “This is a way to help individuals during their final stages. It’s a really amazing place.”

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According to Rosario, the hotel personnel were happy to have the group show up.  “We had vendors from all over Brooklyn provide breakfast and lunch and had lunch with the patients at the hotel and it was just amazing,” he said.

The day was a touching one for everyone involved. “We wanted to show how much we respect them and let them know how much people care,” said Rosario. “My mom has been a 25-plus year breast cancer fighter and she talked to patients and told them not to give up and keep fighting and it was really emotional. We made new friends. They say they would love to see us back again. It’s like we met a whole new family. We had just regular Joes, volunteers and friends and relatives. They wanted to be a part of a good cause.”

The day was especially emotional for Rosario due to his connection to the disease. “This one was more emotional because my mom said ‘This is it. I’m not taking more medicine or chemo.’ And one of my good friends, part of my motorcycle team, just lost his mother to cancer. We had a new grand marshal named Ashley who was just diagnosed with cancer. She came on her motorcycle to support this event. It got me choked up.”

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