When Maria Neira asked the NYSUT members in a sea of 13,000 faces at Washington Park in Albany to wave their hands, Glen Clements' arm, attached to a T-shirt proudly proclaiming "Real Men Wear Pink," stood out in the crowd.

After addressing the group, Neira found Clements to thank the secondary math teacher for coming. "I'm here for her," Glen said, pointing to wife Kathy, who teaches family and consumer sciences and who is fighting breast cancer. "And I'm here for him, too," Kathy said, noting that her husband has prostate cancer.

Echoing the comments in her speech, Neira told the two Shenendehowa Teachers Association members: "NYSUT is committed to this fight. We will walk this walk together."

Corrine White of the Mount Pleasant Cottage School puts a registration sticker on her grandson, Deandre Pulliam, at the Westchester County walk. 

From left, Carole Gehrig and Susan Gustafson of the Whitesboro TA with Gail Farrell, a Sauquoit Valley retiree, before the start of the Utica walk, which was held on Oct. 14.

Pelham TA member and elementary teacher Claire Cavalli holds her 5-month-old son, Mark, at the Westchester County walk.