May 6, 2003 By Cindy Ekas-Brown 3 min read

Linda Charapp is convinced that breast cancer survivors and their families will love the “Faces of Courage” pewter picture frames designed by Perryopolis native Lori Aultman Laraia. The picture frames adorned with pink ribbons, the universal symbol for breast cancer awareness, will debut on Mother’s Day, May 11, during the Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure in Pittsburgh’s Schenley Park.

Laraia’s mother, the late Carolyn Swearer Aultman of Perryopolis, died on April 9, 1997, after she lost a nine-year battle with breast cancer.

Her mother’s death inspired Laraia, who now lives in Castle Rock, Colo., just outside of Denver, to create and design the 6-inch-by-4-inch picture frames. Laraia will fly to Pittsburgh to walk in this year’s race.

“Lori sent me a sample of the picture frames, and we just love them or we wouldn’t have ordered them for the race,” said Charapp, program director and past race chairman.

“The picture frames will debut in Pittsburgh. It really means a lot to Lori to have the picture frames debut in her hometown,” she added. “It’s a quality piece of work, and I know that our survivors are going to love them.”

This year’s Race for the Cure in Pittsburgh will begin at 8:45 a.m. Sunday, May 11, in Schenley Park, but Charapp said a survivor’s tribute will take place at 8 a.m.

“It’s a beautiful ceremony,” she said. “The Marine Color Guard will lead a parade of breast cancer survivors dressed in pink T-shirts and hats to the stage area where doves will be released. Last year, 2,200 survivors registered for the race, and I would say that at least half of them participated in the survivor’s tribute.”

The survivor chorus accompanied by members of the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra (PSO) will sing a song titled “We Share A Bond.” Lucas Richman, PSO conductor, wrote the song, which was performed for the first time during last year’s Race for the Cure.

In addition to the picture frames, Charapp said jewelry and clothing items will be sold during the race to help raise money for breast cancer research and diagnostic purposes.

Last year’s race raised more than $1.5 million. Charapp explained that 75 percent of the money raised stays in western and central Pennsylvania and is designated for breast cancer research and diagnostic purposes. The remaining 25 percent is earmarked for the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation in Dallas, Texas, which is used for national research grants for breast cancer.

Organizers are hoping that this year’s race in Pittsburgh will raise about $3 million, which is twice as much as last year, according to Charapp. Each participant has a goal of collecting $100 in pledges. An estimated 38,000 people participated in last year’s event, and as many as 40,000 are expected to join this year’s event.

“We realize that it’s a very lofty goal to try to raise twice as much money as we raised last year,” she said. “But it’s an idealistic goal.”

Charapp said race organizers realize the importance of raising money for the worthy cause of fighting breast cancer, which has touched and devastated the lives of many people and their families, including Lori Aultman Laraia.

An estimated 211,300 new invasive cases of breast cancer are expected to occur among women in the United States this year, and an estimated 39,800 women will die, according to information provided by the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation.

Breast cancer is the leading cancer site among American women and is second only to lung cancer deaths. Breast cancer is the leading cause of cancer among women ages 40 to 59.