Thurmont Turns Pink for Gateway to the Cure

James Rada, Jr.

As the leaves on Catoctin Mountain turned to yellow, red, and orange, Thurmont turned pink as the town supported activities to raise funds to fight breast cancer.

During October, Thurmont becomes the “Gateway to the Cure,” as the town sells pink light bulbs, pink t-shirts, pink shopping bags, and more. In addition, various groups hold events and fundraisers and donate the income to the Patty Hurwitz Fund at Frederick Memorial Hospital.

Jeff and Patty Hurwitz created The Hurwitz Breast Cancer Fund at Frederick Memorial Hospital in 1999. Patty had been diagnosed with breast cancer, and the couple believed that early diagnosis had helped improve her chances of beating cancer. The fund is used to improve ways of diagnosing and fighting cancer in the county. The fund has raised $1.7 million to date. That money has gone to purchase things, such as a machine for biopsies and another for 3D mammography. Every dollar donated to the fund is used for direct patient benefit, and there are no administrative costs.

“We’ve been able to do a lot of great things with this fund,” said Sadie Wolf, development officer for the fund.

She told the Thurmont Commissioners that because of the hospital’s focus on fighting breast cancer, and with the help of the fund, the time between a patient’s cancer diagnosis and surgery has shrunk from fifty-nine days to twelve days. This means that cancers are treated earlier, which improves a patient’s chances of survival.

Main Street Manager Vickie Grinder told the commissioners that 2017 had been the best year so far for the town’s campaign. Thurmont donated $15,000 to the fund. This brought the town’s four-year total donations to $43,648.

Grinder is hoping that the town does even better this year. She said things had gotten off to a good start with a two-hour Zumbathon at the American Legion that raised $700. The annual 5K run/walk also had forty runners and walkers raising money to find a cure.

Thurmont Mayor John Kinnaird stated that he was challenging all of the other municipalities in the county to do something in their own communities to raise funds to fight breast cancer.

The town will make its donation later in the year, once all of the donations have come in and been tallied.

Thurmont’s involvement in the Gateway to the Cure started in 2014 by Commissioner Wayne Hooper, whose wife Jill is a breast cancer survivor. Since that time, Grinder has been coordinating the town’s efforts to help find a cure.

As the leaves on Catoctin Mountain turned to yellow, red, and orange, Thurmont turned pink as the town supported activities to raise funds to fight breast cancer.

During October, Thurmont becomes the “Gateway to the Cure,” as the town sells pink light bulbs, pink t-shirts, pink shopping bags, and more. In addition, various groups hold events and fundraisers and donate the income to the Patty Hurwitz Fund at Frederick Memorial Hospital.

Jeff and Patty Hurwitz created The Hurwitz Breast Cancer Fund at Frederick Memorial Hospital in 1999. Patty had been diagnosed with breast cancer, and the couple believed that early diagnosis had helped improve her chances of beating cancer. The fund is used to improve ways of diagnosing and fighting cancer in the county. The fund has raised $1.7 million to date. That money has gone to purchase things, such as a machine for biopsies and another for 3D mammography. Every dollar donated to the fund is used for direct patient benefit, and there are no administrative costs.

“We’ve been able to do a lot of great things with this fund,” said Sadie Wolf, development officer for the fund.

She told the Thurmont Commissioners that because of the hospital’s focus on fighting breast cancer, and with the help of the fund, the time between a patient’s cancer diagnosis and surgery has shrunk from fifty-nine days to twelve days. This means that cancers are treated earlier, which improves a patient’s chances of survival.

Main Street Manager Vickie Grinder told the commissioners that 2017 had been the best year so far for the town’s campaign. Thurmont donated $15,000 to the fund. This brought the town’s four-year total donations to $43,648.

Grinder is hoping that the town does even better this year. She said things had gotten off to a good start with a two-hour Zumbathon at the American Legion that raised $700. The annual 5K run/walk also had forty runners and walkers raising money to find a cure.

Thurmont Mayor John Kinnaird stated that he was challenging all of the other municipalities in the county to do something in their own communities to raise funds to fight breast cancer.

The town will make its donation later in the year, once all of the donations have come in and been tallied.

Thurmont’s involvement in the Gateway to the Cure started in 2014 by Commissioner Wayne Hooper, whose wife Jill is a breast cancer survivor. Since that time, Grinder has been coordinating the town’s efforts to help find a cure.