Komen ‘More Than Pink Walk’ goes virtual on June 28

As it has with many things, the coronavirus has helped reinvent the venerable Susan G. Komen Philadelphia “More Than Pink Walk” in 2020.

A cornerstone of the Mother’s Day holiday for nearly 30 years, the walk has regularly summoned thousands of breast cancer supporters and survivors to the Philadelphia Museum of Art to rejoice in the enormous progress that’s been made in fighting breast cancer and the resolve to continue the mission.

This year the event has been re-imagined as a virtual fundraiser, encouraging supporters to participate on June 28 by walking safely in their own environments, sharing the spirit across social media in lieu of reveling in that undeniable physical bond that’s grown stronger every year.

The online makeover accomplishes the all-important goal of keeping the race visible and within reach, pointed out Carol Evans, director of the Voices of Gwynedd choir, which has given an ethereal aural identity to the race for 15 years.

“It’s good to stay engaged any way we can, and stay connected, in any way that’s meaningful,” noted Evans, a music professor at Gwynedd Mercy University. “I think they want to keep it fresh in people’s mind.”

“I can play and I can conduct and the choir can sing on their own, but certainly it’s not the same thing as being together and hearing all the other voices.”

Coincidentally, when Evans and the choir were invited to participate in the annual walk, she realized how deeply it echoed her own budding commitment to fighting breast cancer.

Despite the challenges of facing a “very long weekend” from that year on, Evans took the Gwynedd Mercy University choir down to the race.