Compton Walk for a Cure Unites the Community, Fuels the Fight Against Breast Cancer

By Marion Apio

The 14th annual Walk for a Cure at Centennial High School drew a large crowd, predominantly women, many of whom wore pink to advocate for early cancer detection, community support, and fight against federal healthcare cuts. 

The event was held on Saturday morning, transforming one of the four Compton public high schools into a pool of solidarity for breast cancer patients, survivors, and supporters. 

Dubbed the “Walk for a Cure,” the initiative was organized by Compton City Clerk and School Board Member Satra Zurita in partnership with St. John’s Community Health. It has become a key annual health awareness effort in Compton, urging both men and women to fight breast and prostate cancer.

Launched in October 2011, the event takes place every October during Breast Cancer Awareness Month, drawing residents, students, and local leaders to walk, dance, and celebrate survivors while promoting early screening and supporting research. This year, the mayor and other civic leaders joined in, while participants engaged in a lottery draw for gifts, including smart TV screens.

Throughout the event, the Centennial High marching band performed, children had their faces painted, and vendors offered health screenings and sign-ups. Yet, amidst the laughter and music, quiet reminders of loss surfaced—names written on T-shirts, photographs held close to the heart. Around the football field were signs like “Walk all over cancer” and “No one Fights alone.” 

Liana Smith held a photo of her sister, Kathy Smith, who died of breast cancer in 2003 at age 37. Liana recounted her sister’s battle with stage four cancer, radical mastectomies, and three rounds of chemotherapy. “She left behind a 10-year-old son,” she said. “We permit ourselves to celebrate her life by joining the cancer walks.”

Zurita welcomed school leaders and student board members from Compton’s four high schools, highlighting the students’ involvement. She also shared her story as a cancer survivor.  “I know the importance of early detection,” she said. “This walk is about saving lives and ensuring that families in the community have the knowledge and resources they need.”

As the morning heat rose, Jim Mangia, president and CEO of St. John’s Community Health, spoke candidly of federal cuts to Medicaid, Medi-Cal, and public health research. Such reductions, he said, “decimate the healthcare infrastructure” that Black and Latino communities depend on.

Mangia detailed St. John’s plans to expand its four Compton clinics, add a mobile optometry unit for free student eye exams, and open a new urgent care center offering mammography and ultrasound services. He also previewed a proposed Los Angeles County citizens’ ballot initiative to raise $500 million to restore funding for maternal health and breast cancer programs. “We’re going to fight back,” he vowed to loud cheers.

The day held deep personal meaning for Assemblymember Mike Gipson, who shared about losing his sister, Rosie, to Stage IV breast cancer last October. “We grew up together, went to prom together, did everything together,” he said. “Early detection could have saved her life.” Gipson urged residents to schedule mammograms and discuss breast health openly. “No one else should have to stand where I’m standing today,” he said.

Donna Davis, a longtime educator and legislative representative for the school board, emphasized that a special election in November could determine whether communities like Compton continue to have access to affordable healthcare. “As a principal for 26 years, I’ve seen what happens when children lose a parent or guardian to cancer,” she said. “It’s devastating and it’s preventable. We must elect leaders who will fight for early detection and equity in healthcare.”

Denzel Perry, another board member, shared that his aunt died of cancer this summer. “What this event represents for me is community,” he said. “When my aunt was sick, what mattered most were the people who showed up—the neighbors who knocked just to say, ‘I love you.’ That’s the power of Compton.”

City leaders, including Mayor Emma Sharif and Councilman Jonathan Bowers, thanked organizers for the event’s longevity. “The goal was simple: make sure people are aware,” Bowers said. “Seeing everyone out here proves the community still believes in that mission.” Council member Jonathan Bowers cited American Cancer Society data predicting about 316,000 new cases of breast cancer in 2025, resulting in roughly 42,000 deaths. “Cancer primarily affects women of color,” he said. “That’s why events like this matter.”

Former State Senator Isadore Hall applauded the community coming out in force. “This disease has touched everyone here,” he said. “You’ve turned pain into purpose, and that’s what keeps us moving forward.”

Later, physicians Dr. Eugene Allen and Dr. Connie Yu—partners in medicine and marriage—took the stage. They’ve led the walk’s free screening program for a decade. The couple noted they have screened more than 750 women at the Compton event and caught 75 cases of cancer. “I was diagnosed two years ago,” Yu said.  “I’m cancer-free today, but a friend of mine waited too long to get checked. By the time she went to the doctor, it was stage four.”

She paused, then offered explicit instructions. “Cancer doesn’t discriminate. Do your breast exams every month, I tell my daughter—pick a date and stick with it.”

The day’s mission is underscored by the reality that while U.S. breast cancer mortality rates have declined since the late 1980s, racial and economic disparities persist. Black women are 40 percent more likely to die of the disease than white women, a gap attributed largely to delayed detection and unequal access to treatment. At Centennial High, those statistics felt personal—but not paralyzing. “We can fight this,” Dr. Yu said.. “It doesn’t have to win.”

As the crowd began their walk, the rhythm of the band mixed with musical sounds from singers like Kendrick Lamar, residents waved pink ribbons, and survivors embraced. The powerful banner near the stage summed up the community’s resolve: “Sisters don’t let sisters fight alone.”