Riverside Community Health Foundation is proud to announce the return of Pink on Parade, our 14th annual breast cancer awareness walk at 7:30 AM on Saturday, October 18, 2025, at Ryan Bonaminio Park.
The goal of Pink on Parade is two-fold: to raise awareness of breast cancer within our community and to raise funds for The Pink Ribbon Place, our local cancer resource center, which provides wigs, breast prostheses, exercise classes, education, and counseling services at no cost to individuals and families impacted by cancer. Pink on Parade is so much more than a walk; it’s a time for the community to show their support for their sisters, daughters, mothers, and neighbors.
Through this cherished event, the community comes together to support our loved ones fighting cancer, celebrate our survivors, and honor those we’ve lost. Every step on Mt. Rubidoux tells a story of hope in the face of adversity—including the inspiring journey of Bertha Sandoval.
When Bertha Sandoval was diagnosed with stage 4 breast cancer in 2000, she remembers the fear, the uncertainty, and the long hours of treatment that seemed never-ending. “There were nights when I thought I wouldn’t have the strength to go on,” she recalls. Just three weeks after her diagnosis, Bertha underwent a mastectomy on September 11—a date that has since become her annual celebration of life.
In 2003, cancer returned in her bones and lungs, forcing her to fight once more. But through every challenge, Bertha leaned on her faith in God, the love of her family, and the support of women who had walked the same path.
“Cancer taught me to value the little things—a smile, a hug, the chance to open my eyes each morning,” she says. “It transformed me and helped me discover a strength I didn’t know I had.”
Now, 25 years later, Bertha is cancer-free and dedicates her time to volunteering at The Pink Ribbon Place, Riverside’s cancer resource center. There, she listens, comforts, and uplifts women who are just beginning their own journeys.
“At Pink Ribbon, I feel understood. It’s a space of strength, support, and celebration of life,” Bertha shares. “Being involved gives me the opportunity to bring hope to others and remind them that they are not alone.”
As she prepares to walk at Pink on Parade this year, Bertha offers this message to others facing cancer: “Dear sisters, the road is not always easy, but there is strength, hope, and the opportunity to be reborn each day. Never lose faith in God or in yourselves. Every day is a gift.”
This October, walk with Bertha and hundreds of others as we celebrate strength, hope, and resilience.
