KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- Tens of thousands of people hit the streets downtown Sunday morning to race for a cure.

The 15th annual Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure started at Union Station.

More than 24,000 people attended the event -- making it the biggest Race for the Cure in Kansas City history, and $1.2 million was raised.

Organizers said the number of people participating and the amount of money raised both increased by 25 percent from the previous year.

Seventy-five percent of the money raised stays in the Kansas City metropolitan area, they said.

"What that means is that much more accessibility for women and men who need breast cancer screening, treatment and education. That's really what we're all about," said Deborah Holmes, of the Race for the Cure. "We're here to raise money so that our agencies that are out in the community can provide these services to people, and the more people who are getting screened, being educated and getting those mammograms, they can catch the cancer sooner."

KCTV5 was a proud sponsor of the event.

Participants walked and ran for a number of reasons. Some were cancer survivors. Others celebrated the lives of those who'd beat the disease and honored the memories of those lost to cancer.

"My mother had cancer," said racer Vicky Taylor. "We found out last year in September, and she's in remission, so I'm walking for her."

Suzan Loyd walked with a picture of her aunt on her T-shirt, someone she said she remembered every day.

"This is for her," Loyd said. "It's not for me."