PORTLAND – Participants in the third annual Susan G. Komen Portland Race for the Cure will walk and run on Sunday, Sept. 9, in Payson Park and along Baxter Boulevard in Portland to celebrate breast cancer survivors, honor those who have lost their battle with the disease and to help raise funds to find a cure. Individuals interested in registering for the Portland Race as runners, walkers or volunteers should go to www.komenmaine.org or visit the Komen Maine Affiliate page on Facebook or follow on Twitter.

Breast cancer survivors are provided with a complimentary luncheon the day before the race (RSVP required) and special goodies in the Survivor Tent on race day. Survivors are also honored in a ceremony before the 5K starts.

The first Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure took place in Dallas, Texas, in 1983 with 800 participants. Today, the Komen Race for the Cure series is the largest 5K series in the world with more than 120 races and more than 1 million participants expected this year. The Susan G. Komen Maine Affiliate hosts two races annually one in Bangor which has been held since 1997 and one in Portland now entering its third year. Last year, the second annual Portland Maine Race for the Cure raised more than $150,000 and had more than 1,600 runners and walkers.

Due to the annual success of the Bangor race and growing support for the Portland race, the Komen Maine Affiliate has invested nearly $2.6 million for education, screening and treatment programs and over $750,000 for breast cancer research through the Susan G. Komen for the Cure® Grants Program. Nearly $500,000 has returned to Maine in the form of research grants through that program.

For additional information about the race, go to www.komenmaine.org.