By MIKE KRAFCIK
6 News Reporter
KNOXVILLE (WATE) – The Women's Basketball of Hall of Fame kicked off its festivities Saturday morning with the 4Kay Run/Walk.
The race is in honor of Kay Yow, a former women's basketball coach and hall of fame member, who lost her battle with breast cancer in 2009.
The pink balloons that symbolize breast cancer awareness drifted high into the sky outside of the hall of fame Saturday morning.
"Everybody knows somebody that's been touched by cancer, whether they're male or female," said Jackie Wise, programs and marketing manager for the Women's Basketball Hall of Fame.
Organizers estimate around 400 participants took part in the 4Kay Run/Walk. It's the highest turnout in the race's four year history. Many there were personally affected by breast cancer.
"I'm thankful that I'm a survivor and I'm still here to talk to about I," said Pamela McGee, a member of the Hall of Fame class of 2012.
McGee and Robin Roberts are the breast cancer survivors in the 2012 Hall of Fame class.
"To also have two breast cancer survivors with us, it makes this race so much more important to us and the basketball community," said Wise.
93-year-old John Smart finished the race in just over 39 minutes. Smart used his walker on the course and was helped by a spotter.
"It was a quite a mission - a very fine one, really," said John Smart of Knoxville.
Organizers expect this year's event to raise between $4,000-$5,000, which will go to the Kay Yow Cancer Fund.
"One of my favorite coaches, the sweetest lady I've ever known as a coach and she was instrumental in my life. So I felt I had to do the walk for Kay Yow, she was just a great person," said McGee.
Organizers estimate around 400 participants took part in the 4Kay Run/Walk. It's the highest turnout in the race's four year history.
93-year-old John Smart finished the race in just over 39 minutes.
"I'm thankful that I'm a survivor and I'm still here to talk to about I," said Pamela McGee, a member of the Hall of Fame class of 2012.
