For the 30th year, the Making Strides Against Breast Cancer Walk was held Sunday in Central Park.

“It feels so amazing. I feel like I have such a great support from my I call Them my family,” said Karlene Byfield, a breast cancer survivor of 11 years.

The American Cancer Society hosts the event to raise awareness, educate and fund raise to fight the disease that is the second most common cancer in women.

More than 300,000 new cases of invasive breast cancer are expected to be diagnosed this year.

On Sunday, 50,000 people were expected to take part in the walk, many of them with stories of survival.

“When they cross the finish line to them, that marks another year that they’re cancer free or that they’re here with their families,” said Austin Desavino, director of Development, American Cancer Society. “And it’s just a beautiful, beautiful thing. And even for those that we’ve lost, sadly, their fight doesn’t end. We just carry it.”

Josue Galvez was at the event with his mother Marissa Galvez, who is also a survivor.

“The first couple of years when she was, you know, going through the whole process and treatment. It was really difficult to see her, you know, suffering through chemo,” said Galvez. “Luckily, I was able to always be there for her every day, do everything that I could for her. And, you know, now I feel really proud of being able to call her survivor will be able to survivor, be able to spend every single day with her.”

According to the organization, between 1989 and 2019, the death rate from breast cancer dropped 42%.

The event is one of many ways the organization works to save more lives.

“The funds that are raised by the American Cancer Society help people now and generations in the future,” said Desavino.

Since 1993, the American Cancer Society has invested more than $600 million in breast cancer research.

On Sunday, organizers expect to raise $1.6 million by the end of the day.