About 200 runners will hit the streets of Tijuana on July 26 to raise money for breast cancer support kits, with each participant selling their 21 kilometers symbolically at 100 pesos (roughly $5 USD) per kilometer.
The fundraiser is organized by Turbantes Oncológicos López & Chic, a Tijuana-based foundation now in its 12th year of supporting women diagnosed with breast cancer. The “buy a kilometer” campaign runs alongside the Tijuana International Half Marathon, which starts at 6 a.m. from the Palacio Municipal in downtown Tijuana.
What the Donations Will Fund
Proceeds will go toward assembling support kits for 300 women undergoing breast cancer treatment. Each kit contains a synthetic breast prosthesis, a specially designed bra, a wig, a recovery pillow, and a yarn breast used for post-surgical comfort.
If all 200 runners sell every kilometer, the campaign would raise roughly 420,000 pesos (about $21,000 USD). Donors can contribute through participating runners’ social media pages, making it possible to give without attending the race in person.
Rising Cases Among Younger Women
The foundation serves up to 500 women per year and has noted a concerning rise in breast cancer diagnoses among women aged 20 to 29. That trend has pushed the organization to expand both its outreach and its kit distribution.
Free mammograms and Pap smears are available year-round at the Tijuana IMSS-Bienestar General Hospital. IMSS-Bienestar is Mexico’s public health system serving people without employer-based insurance.
How to Participate
Those interested in donating can look for participating runners on social media in the weeks before the July 26 race. A single kilometer costs 100 pesos, and donors can purchase as many kilometers as they choose from any runner’s page.
The Tijuana International Half Marathon draws thousands of runners each year to a course through the city’s central streets. This year’s “buy a kilometer” campaign adds a philanthropic layer to the event, channeling race-day energy toward direct aid for cancer patients in the region.
This story was first reported by Punto Norte.