Making Strides Against Breast Cancer is an event of the American Cancer Society that is solely dedicated to breast cancer awareness and funding for research. Since its inception in 1993, this event has raised over $130 million that was then used for research, education, patient assistance, and advocacy for breast cancer.

There are over 100 walks throughout the United States that are supervised by local American Cancer Society offices. In these noncompetitive walks, participants often honor friends or relatives who have been touched by breast cancer. Each individual obtains pledges of donations for their participation in the five mile walk, often getting groups of friends to team up. Team members enjoy the companionship, good exercise and festivities of the day. It is not necessary to actively participate, however, as the raising of the pledges is the main goal.

Last year, over $28 million was raised in the Making Strides Against Breast Cancer events across the U.S. With this type of help, the American Cancer Society has been able to award $246 million toward breast cancer research since 1972.

The Discovery Health Channel has partnered with the American Cancer Society to be a national sponsor of the Making Strides Against Breast Cancer programs. Their goal is to help the ACS to further awareness, research and technology in the fight against breast cancer. They will provide as many participants in Making Strides as possible with educational cards printed with the guidelines for early detection of breast cancer. In 2003, the Discovery Health Channel premiered a program, Breast Cancer and Intimacy, during Breast Cancer Awareness Month.

Each participant in the Making Strides Against Breast Cancer walks can register on the day of the event, bringing their pledges with them. Actual registration and pledge forms are available to print from the American Cancer Society website, www.cancer.org.