Photo from last year's event by Drew Woodrich.

Registration is up and running and it's time to sign up for the 2008 Susan G. Komen National Race for the Cure. The annual 5K event will be held in Washington, DC on Saturday, June 7 - rain or shine. More than 50,000 participants from across the country, including 3,500 breast cancer survivors, will convene on the National Mall to lend their support - and feet - to help Susan G. Komen for the Cure get one step closer to fulfilling its promise of ending breast cancer forever.

Washington, D.C. Mayor Adrian M. Fenty kicked off registration for the 19th annual event at the Washington Cancer Institute at Washington Hospital Center on March 24, 2008. Surrounded by breast cancer survivors and grantees, the Mayor donned his Race t-shirt and declared that he will field a mayoral race team to compete in this year's Race.

The Komen National Race is a 5K run/walk event that offers many creative and exciting ways to join the breast cancer movement, including:

Form a team with family, friends or colleagues. Last year's record number of 1,300 teams accounted for over half of National Race participants. Learn about how you can win team prizes at the team kick-off meeting at The Washington Post on Wednesday, April 16 at 4:30 p.m. The deadline for team sign-up is April 25. To learn more, visit the Team page on the Race Web site.

Sleep In for the Cure allows participants to support the Komen National Race from the comfort of their own bed. Participants who choose to hit snooze on Race Day will receive a t-shirt, special sn00ze Race bib, special gift and an official Race bib - just in case they get out of bed on Race morning!

The Komen Kids for the Cure Race gives kids ages 5-12 a fun new way to get involved. Kids' Race will take place on the National Mall between 4th Street, NW and 7th Street, NW on Race Day at 9:30 a.m. For kids 5 and under, the Kids' Tent will open at 9:00 a.m. with fun activities.

Where do I sign up?
Runners and walkers can register online, by mail, at one-stop registration sites or at late registration. Entry forms are available at several retail locations throughout the Washington, D.C. metropolitan area. One-stop registration sites for the 2008 Komen National Race for the Cure take place on weekends in May throughout Washington, DC, Maryland,and Virginia, at various retail outlets. In just one-stop, residents can register, pay by cash or check and pick up all their Race Day needs, including t-shirts and bibs.

Where does the money go?
The Susan G. Komen for the Cure Race Series is the largest series of 5K runs/fitness walks in the world and raises significant funds and awareness for the fight against breast cancer. Washington, DC has one of the highest breast cancer mortality rates in the country and local residents face severe disparities in accessing breast health and breast cancer screening and treatment services.

Last year, $3.3 million of the funds raised through the Komen National Race remained in the Washington, DC community to fund outreach programs and initiatives that address the specific unmet breast health needs of the area. The remaining net proceeds support cutting-edge breast cancer research through the Komen Grants Program, which has invested more than $180 million dollars over the past 25 years, making it the largest source of funding for breast cancer research behind the U.S. government. These grants support groundbreaking breast cancer research, meritorious awards and educational and scientific programs around the world.

The following sponsors are hosting One-Stop Registrations in May:

* Safeway (select DC/VA/MD locations):      
  Saturday, May 3 & Sunday, May 4, 10:00 AM - 3:00 PM
* Whole Foods (select DC/VA/MD locations):  
  Saturday, May 10 & Sunday, May 11, 10:00 AM - 3:00PM
* Capitol Hill, VFW Washington:              
  Wednesday, May 21, 8:00 AM - 4:00PM
* Fashion Time (select locations):          
  Saturday, May 17 & Sunday, May 18 11:00 AM - 3:00 PM
* Simon Mall (select locations):            
  Saturday, May 17 & Sunday, May 18, 12:00 PM - 5:00 PM
* The Washington Post (survivor registration only):  
  Thursday, May 29, 11AM - 7PM, and Friday, May 30, 11:00 AM - 5:00 PM
* US Department of Commerce (late registration):  
  Thursday, June 5 & Friday, June 6, 10:00 AM - 4:30 PM

About Susan G. Komen for the Cure
Nancy G. Brinker promised her dying sister, Susan G. Komen, she would do everything in her power to end breast cancer forever. In 1982, that promise became Susan G. Komen for the Cure and launched the global breast cancer movement. Today, Komen for the Cure is the world's largest grassroots network of breast cancer survivors and activists fighting to save lives, empower people, ensure quality care for all and energize science to find the cures. Thanks to events like the Komen Race for the Cure, we have invested $1 billion to fulfill our promise, becoming the largest source of nonprofit funds dedicated to the fight against breast cancer in the world. For more information about Susan G. Komen for the Cure, breast health or breast cancer, visit www.komen.org or call 1-877 GO KOMEN.

For more information on One-Stop Registration locations and this year's Komen National Race for the Cure, call 703-416-RACE (7223) or visit www.nationalraceforthecure.org.