Organizers expect hundreds of people to attend the annual Race for the Cure at Sherwood Island in Westport, and for one of those attendees, the race is quite personal.

Erin Lavery is a runner and survivor. At age 32, she learned she had breast cancer. The treatments that followed in the past year and a half included chemotherapy and a double mastectomy.

Lavery celebrated one year of being cancer-free last month and is now the face of a race dedicated to fighting the disease. She agreed to be the model for the local Komen Race for the Cure as a way to help other women.

"I hope someone sees my face and maybe they won't need me or the resources at this point, but if they do down the road, they'll know that they're available," she says.

Lavery and her team will join hundreds of other people at the race to create an annual sea of pink in their fight against breast cancer.

Lavery says she is working with Komen to start a young survivors support group in southwestern Connecticut. She reminds people that there is still time to sign up.