- Video: Women jump to help fight breast cancer
- More: Most Popular stories, videos and more
- More: Get breaking news alerts
After a few days of practice, 180 women from around the world plan to make the big jump on Thursday or Friday in Perris, California.
It is a spectacular kick off for October's Breast Cancer Awareness Month.
The jump was inspired by famed puppeteer Shari Lewis and her beloved Lamb Chop.
Lewis lost her battle with cancer in 1998. Her daughter Mallory Lewis started the benefit jump the next year.
"Because we are all here to fight the common enemy, we're all here to fight breast cancer," said Lewis. "It's the spirit of these women who have trained and who have fundraised and have flown from the Ukraine, from Thailand, from Israel, I mean from all around the world, to build a world record up there and to raise a world record amount of money."
Besides skin cancer, breast cancer is the most common cancer among U.S. women. One in eight women will be diagnosed with breast cancer.
Many of the jump's participants are survivors.
"I'm a 4-year cancer survivor and I believe that we are very close to a cure," said skydiver Carolyn Johnson.
"It was my goal particularly because my mother had had breast cancer and then I was recently diagnosed this year with breast cancer myself in February," said skydiver Ruth Green.
The funds raised by Jump for the Cause will go to breast cancer research at City of Hope.
- Link: Jump for the Cause 2009
Report Typo |
Send Tip |
Get Alerts | Most Popular
Follow @abc7 on Twitter | Become a fan on Facebook
