PMC ‘Colors of Courage’ 5K hits the streets of Pikeville to support and celebrate those battling cancer

PIKEVILLE, Ky. (WYMT) - Pikeville Medical Center’s 2022 Colors of Courage 5K Walk/Run kicked off on Saturday morning at 9 a.m. and invited folks to show up in white, but gain a bit of color along their route to the finish line.

“Everybody wears white because we have different stations and as you’re running we have color, so we represent colors of courage, meaning all the cancer ribbons,” said PMC’s Leonard Lawson Cancer Center’s Assistant Vice President of Patient Services Amber Tackett.

Along with gaining a bit of color, participants gave back to those battling cancer, with all proceeds from the race benefiting patients of the Leonard Lawson Cancer Center.

“We use it for things such as transportation in the form of gas cards and money for copays for medications that patients can’t afford,” said Tackett. “Lodging perhaps when they have to travel a lot back and forth for their cancer treatments or radiation therapy.”

One race participant and local elementary school teacher came out to run in honor of her mom, who also had her treatments at PMC.

“She went through all of her treatments here at PMC and she did really great and she’s been 21 years cancer free,” said Brittany Lyons.

Lyons added that a lot of runners are inclined to give back to their communities, but races such as these have a special place in her heart.

“Anytime that we race, we like to give back to our communities, our own communities,” said Lyons, “I like to race all over, but these are the ones that are special to my heart because they help the ones that need it the most right here in Appalachia.”

PMC officials say more than $15,000 was raised for cancer patients and their families, with more still trickling in as the race finished.

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