Every year since its inaugural event in 1991, the Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure in Orange County has called Pacific Life home. The event, which raises millions each year for breast cancer research, is the largest of its kind in Orange County.

What started with a modest 3,800 participants has morphed into a massive event, with 15,000 attendees in 2017. Each year, participants convene on the steps of the Pacific Life building in Newport Beach in the early morning the day of the race. Pacific Life’s Good Guys volunteer at the race, arriving at 5 a.m. to help set up, organize VIP events and manage security for the building.

“It really becomes a fun and sociable event, but also highly emotional and highly impactful for everybody involved as you hear the stories and you see the participants, and you learn about the folks that couldn’t participate. It really is a wonderful event,” said Doug Jackson, assistant vice president for Product Management and Sales Support, Retirement Solutions Division.

The annual race is fun for everyone; it’s also incredibly important for Pacific Life, the Susan G. Komen Foundation and Orange County. In addition to being home to the event, Pacific Life also has an employee-based team and raises money for the cause. In 2017, the Pacific Life team had 266 participants and raised nearly $10,000, with that number continuing to grow for the Orange County chapter of the Susan G. Komen organization. Most importantly, Pacific Life has helped raise more than $38 million for the Komen foundation over the past 25 years—a figure that’s certain to continue to increase in the coming years.