PUEBLO, Colo. (KRDO) — It was a quintessential Colorado shopping experience for families affected by breast cancer: This weekend, they shopped for free at Pueblo Mall.
The Becky Baker Foundation began preparing for the event at the beginning of the summer, and founder Rick Baker said some people even brought their families from Denver to attend the event.
“I haven’t been able to buy my son any toys for over a year because I’ve been battling breast cancer. [and] “She can’t afford it. She walked out here today with two bags full of toys, and seeing the smile on her son’s face, you know it’s all worth it,” Baker said. “We had about 200 shoppers come through this weekend. I estimate we’ve probably made about $100,000 off this stuff so far. Since Saturday morning, we’ve sold $250,000 off this stuff.”
Families could register in advance and shop for 30 minutes.
Pam Cox and Diana Stone attended the event after hearing about it from family members, and Stone said it means a lot to them.
Cox was diagnosed with breast cancer in April and underwent a partial mastectomy. She finished chemotherapy in July but will continue with radiation treatments until April next year.
Stone had been suffering from bilateral breast cancer and was undergoing aggressive treatment.
“Our mom had cancer so we definitely have cancer in our family. My brother has cancer too. So it’s a test of courage,” Stone said.
Pueblo Mall will donate permanent retail space to the nonprofit, and starting in October, families affected by breast cancer will be able to shop for free, though they must register in advance and there is a waiting list.
