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This year’s Race for the Cure starts at 9 a.m. from a new location near Cleveland State University. The change is the third in 16 years.

Linda Campbell, former chairwoman of the Junior League of Cleveland, planned Cleveland’s initial race in 1994.

“The community was so positive about bringing the Race for the Cure to Cleveland,” she said. “Everyone was on board. I just knew we were on to something.”

And they were.

The race attracted 3,000 participants and brought in $150,000 that first year. By 2006, there were more than 21,000 registered participants, and revenue topped $1.7 million.

Even with fewer people registering now, 2009 still saw more than 15,000 paid participants and $1.5 million in revenue.

“We started out in University Circle. It was a wonderful area, but we outgrew it,” Campbell said.

In 2002, the race start moved to Voinovich Park in downtown Cleveland. In 2007, the race changed month and location. It moved to Malls B and C and was held in September instead of October.

Now the race will be centered at CSU’s Wolstein Center.

The race was also moved this time in anticipation that construction of the proposed medical mart will tie up the Mall area in 2011.

The event’s popularity here is related to the rate of breast cancer in Cuyahoga County, Sureau said.

“There are a lot of cases of breast cancer and a higher mortality rate than state and national averages,” she said. “Ohio is 34th in incidents and fourth in mortality. It strikes and strikes hard in this region.”

When Campbell planned the first race, many people were unaware of breast cancer’s impact in Cleveland.

Sureau said 75 percent of race revenue goes to breast cancer outreach, screening and financial support in 22 Ohio counties.

It’s not too late to join in. Participants can register online for $25 until Wednesday and pick up registration packets and T-shirts at a local registration site. You can register at the race Saturday for $30 starting at 6 a.m. The 5K race/walk begins at 9 a.m., and the one-mile walk begins at 9:45 a.m.

For information, go to race.komenneohio.org.

To reach this Plain Dealer reporter: emason@plaind.com, 216-999-4535

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