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By Christopher Magan, Staff Writer Updated 10:48 PM Saturday, October 15, 2011

DAYTON — Dayton resident Ernestine Brown had just stepped away from the stage at the Making Strides Against Breast Cancer walk after proclaiming to the crowd her 18 years of being cancer free when Julia Ewing surprised her.

“Chills went through me when I heard your name,” said Ewing, a long-time friend. “I almost cried.”

Saturday’s Making Strides walk was Brown’s first, but she plans to make it a tradition to mark her victory over breast cancer, a triumph she attributes to her strong faith.

“That is why I’m still here today,” Brown said. “It was God that healed me.”

Brown and Ewing were among the more than 9,000 walkers who participated in the 12th year of the American Cancer Society event Saturday that began in front of Fifth Third Field. Amy Smith, an event organizer, said fund-raising was expected to match last year’s $400,000, making it the second largest “strides” event in Ohio.

“We get a lot of people who come out who are very passionate,” Smith said of the crowd. It was filled with survivors, people trying to raise awareness and the friends and family of women who lost their battle with the disease that killed more than 40,000 women in the U.S. in 2007, the last year data is available from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Dominique Ballmann walked with fellow Fairmont High School graduates Katie Schwartzentruber and Nina Joyner in honor of survivors they knew, including Schwartzentruber’s grandmother, and Ballmann’s friend Katie Knabe, who died from breast cancer at 35.

Knabe helped care for Ballmann’s niece and nephew while her brother, Jesus Tirado, fought in the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.

“This brings me some closure,” Ballmann said on the verge of tears. “She was part of my family.”

Contact this reporter at (937) 225-2342 or cmagan@DaytonDailyNews.com.

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