Group of runners to honor woman lost to cancer in Broad Street Run
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- Thousands are getting ready for Sunday's Broad Street Run – the country's largest 10-mile race.
Among them will be a special group fighting cancer.
The American Cancer Society has a number of different determination teams, one of the biggest is inspired by a young mother lost to cancer.
Leslie Giotti and Ellen Cordes are on a journey to honor and remember their friend and save others from the heartbreak of losing a loved one.
"She battled liver cancer for about three years," Cordes said.
Their friend, Tara Ertle, was just 35 when she lost her battle
"One of her favorite songs was 'Always Look on The Bright Side,'" Cordes said.
Ertle called her friends "Team Brightside" and after she died, the group started running for a purpose – to fight cancer – now celebrating 10 years doing the Broad Street Run.
"It's not easy, it's hard," Giotti said. "Some days are easier than others, but that's the same thing cancer patients are going through."
The Broad Street Run raises about $200,000 every year for the American Cancer Society.
"The American Cancer Society is funding life saving research that will eventually lead to cures," Jillian Pereira, of the American Cancer Society, said.
Members of Team Brightside will be wearing T-shirts with a growing number of names – people battling cancer.
"No one is going to fight this alone, we're always going to be there for them and that's the strength that started with Tara," Giotti said. "To be able to fund the research so we can stop this is incredible."
The team raised $10,000 to commemorate a decade doing Broad Street.
"It started because of Tara, something we could do in her honor and it has grown to be this community where we'll have 20 to 50 runners on our team each year," Cordes said. "Its' just this real feel of family."
A community of cancer fighters – hoping to bring the finish line a little closer
The American Cancer Society will have more than 200 runners out on Sunday ..
In the closing miles of the run, there will be an honorarium display of patients – motivating all the runners to the finish line.