PORTLAND, Ore. - On a bright and warm sunny day in Portland, hundreds of people whose lives have been touched in some way by brain cancer laced up their tennis shoes and headed to a park along the Willamette River to help raise money for research.

PHOTO GALLERY

The National Brain Tumor Society’s 4th Annual Portland Brain Tumor Walk - a 5K fun run/walk for all ages - was held Saturday at Willamette Park.

About 800 participated in the event and there were plenty of smiles and hugs to go around as people united to do their part to make a difference. Folks held hands, stood close to one another and laughed aloud at each other's jokes.

Still, there was an air of sadness.  Many who were there had either lost someone close to them or were participating to support an afflicted friend or family member.

During the opening ceremony, folks stepped up to the microphone to tell their stories. 

One woman talked about the deep pain from the loss of her mother and how events like this help her heal and stay strong.

A man in a wheelchair nearly broke down in tears while describing the immense amount of love and support he had received from those close to him.

And the crowd heard the heartbreaking story of two sisters (pictured below), who each received a devastating diagnosis around the same time - one had breast cancer and the other had brain cancer.

The stories were sad, indeed, but amid the grief was strength, a resolve to effect change and perhaps most importantly - hope.

And by the time the crowd was ready to begin at the starting line, they were pumped up - excited to be a part of it all.

The walk route took participants along the Greenway Trail, a paved pathway with spectacular views of the Willamette River.

This wasn't a race - just a casual walk on a beautiful day to support a good cause. Some even took the opportunity to stop and rest along the way - and perhaps reflect a little.

Following the walk, participants were invited to relax in a picnic area where organizers provided light snacks and a young man sang songs and played guitar. It was a great way to cap off a nice stroll along the river on a gorgeous day.

Want To Get Involved?

The stories, the statistics and the hurt in people's faces are all good reasons for folks to come together to help in the fight. According to the National Brain Tumor Society:

• More than 190,000 people are diagnosed with a brain tumor each year in the U.S.
• Brain tumors are the leading cause of solid tumor cancer death for those under 20.
• Brain tumors are the second leading cause of cancer death in young adults ages 20 to 39.

Following is a list of resources if you would like to learn more about brain tumors, the research that is being done and how you can help the cause:

• National Brain Tumor Society
• American Brain Tumor Association
• The Brain Tumor Foundation
• Types of brain tumors