INDIANAPOLIS — Saturday was a special day for breast cancer survivors in Indianapolis. That’s because the Susan G. Komen Indianapolis More than Pink Walk returned to the city for another great year.

Tammy Lisby was one of the many breast cancer survivors who came out to Saturday’s event, and she celebrated six years of being cancer free.

“It means you have your life back because immediately when you find out you have breast cancer, you think you’re dead. You think, what if you don’t make it,’what if, what if, what if, you know? It just means you made it. It means you won,” Lisby said.

Lisby is one of the many people who celebrated what it means to be a survivor. 

“For me, I have done the race for 11 years as a participant, but now I’m actually one of the ones they are honoring,” Vickie Brown, a breast cancer survivor, said. “It’s amazing. It really is.”

People of all ages came out to Military Park for this year’s event. Survivors say this event is special because it’s so much more than just a walk wearing your pink from head to toe, it’s about honoring both survivors and those who are no longer with us for an entire day. 

“This hat used to belong to my sister,” Norma Girffo, another breast cancer survivor, said. “She passed away two years ago but you know what she’s with us. She puts all the pins on it and that’s why I wore it to honor her. She’s here in spirit.”

The hope is to raise over $400,000 for breast cancer research with the ultimate goal of finding a cure!

“Research, it saves lives,” Brown said. “It truly saves lives, and where we are now is not where we were 20 years ago. It saves lives. It really does.”

And the message from survivors to those women who may still be fighting right now is ….

“Just be strong and never give up,” Griffo said.

“Just take it all in and surround yourself with people who are positive,” Brown said.

“Be who you are and do what you can do while you are going through it. Your day to shine will come back,” Lisby said.

If you couldn’t make it to Saturday’s event, you can still help by donating to the cause. Click here for more information.