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There's no question who is fighting the battle against cancer at any of the Making Strides Against Breast Cancer walks this month.

From Jamestown in western New York to Jones Beach on Long Island, streets and parks turn into a sea of pink to raise money and awareness for the American Cancer Society. Walking under the logo of "Hope Starts With Me," the non-competitive walks are the premier event for ACS to raise funds and awareness.

"You made it!" Terry Baum said, hugging Martha Sturtz at Clinton Square in Syracuse. Now sporting a light pink scarf instead of curly brown hair, Sturtz was diagnosed with breast cancer in May.

The two women, both members of the Mexico Academy and Central Schools Faculty Association, Oswego County, joined dozens of other union members as part of Martha's Magicians in honor of Sturtz. Others joined Team Sherry, in memory of Sherry Breslowski who died in August after a two-year battle with breast cancer.

At the Strides walk in Buffalo, Hamburg TA retiree Diane Skovenski walked with her daughter, Krista Drake, who now teaches at Hamburg. An incentive for a cancer-free future can be found in Diane's granddaughter, Mackenzie Drake.

A few North Country soccer fields sported a pink tinge this month. Teams of the Copenhagen Golden Knights wore pink uniforms for a full week at home and away games. The Copenhagen TA and soccer teams, both boys and girls at varsity and modified levels, sponsored bake sales and passed the hat, raising more than $2,200.

Leading the effort - and the Copenhagen TA - is Nancy Henry, an ovarian cancer survivor.

"We raise money and awareness about breast cancer because breast cancer research is research for all cancers," said Henry, who underwent surgery and chemotherapy in 2005. "Any money for breast cancer research means that maybe that drug or protocol will be used to find a cure for another cancer."

Henry also coaches soccer for boys 13 to 15. "Against our archrival, Lyme Central, our boys wore pink," she said. "It was powerful to witness."

In the captain's meeting, Henry asked the Lyme captains if they knew the reason for the color.

Not only did the other team know, Henry said, the captains told her "they admired us for doing something for the cause. To me that is a successful campaign to fight cancer. We lost the game, 1-0, but both teams won."

Maria Neira, NYSUT's vice president who oversees the union's Making Strides efforts, agreed with Henry that Strides events are about fighting all cancers and that they hold great power.

"We walk because many of us have a colleague, a friend, a family member dealing with cancer," Neira said. "We walk because cancer impacts our students and the families we work with. We walk, just like we work together, because we gain strength from each other."

Together, "we make strides," Neira said, noting that last year NYSUT walkers raised $1 million toward finding a cure and increasing awareness.

- Betsy Sandberg