The Y-ME Race At Your Pace is more than a fundraising event. It is a celebration of community, diversity, and shared purpose — a gathering that brings together people of all ages, abilities, and backgrounds in solidarity with everyone touched by breast cancer. Whether you walk a mile, walk three miles, or compete in the official timed 5K run, your presence matters and your participation makes a difference.
About the Event
Unlike any other breast cancer fundraiser, the Y-ME Race At Your Pace reflects the very values at the heart of our organization — patience, compassion, and an unwavering commitment to meeting people exactly where they are. There is no pressure to perform, no expectation to keep pace with anyone but yourself. The race is designed to honor the human experience of breast cancer in all its complexity, which means every participant — fast or slow, runner or walker, survivor or supporter — belongs here equally.
This year marks the 20th Anniversary of the Y-ME Race, and we are proud to invite thousands of Chicagoans to join us for this milestone moment.
Why Your Participation Matters
For over 30 years, Y-ME National Breast Cancer Organization — the nation’s oldest breast cancer organization — has been available to anyone touched by breast cancer with thoughtful guidance, emotional support, and peer-to-peer connection: 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year, in over 150 languages. Every call answered, every question responded to, every frightened person met with a calm and caring voice — this is what Y-ME does, and it is what your participation helps sustain.
The funds raised through the Y-ME Race At Your Pace go directly toward expanding the depth, breadth, and strength of Y-ME’s free support services for women and men diagnosed with breast cancer. Not by rushing forward or trying to outrun an invisible foe — but by honoring the pace of each individual, staying present, and ensuring that no one faces breast cancer alone.
How to Get Involved
You can join us as a:
- Runner — compete in the official timed 5K
- Walker — choose your distance: one mile or three miles, at your own pace
- Volunteer — help make the day possible for thousands of participants
Register today and become part of a 20-year tradition of hope, community, and compassionate action.
