Think Pink: Racin’ for Boobs to benefit Joliet’s Pink Heals Chapter

Dirt Oval at Route 66 Raceway is bringing all the power for our final Team Demolition Derby of 2026! The spectacularly pink Racin’ for Boobs breast cancer awareness event is taking the excitement and destruction of Team Demo and combining it with a fundraising effort for a truly remarkable local organization: Pink Heals, Joliet Chapter. The goal is to make an incredible difference, not just for the cause, but for local families.

(The Team Demolition Derby event took place on September 26, 2026) featuring four powerhouse teams: Mean Green Machine, Reckoning, the return of the Killbillies, and the winners of the last event: Orange Crush — PLUS two women’s teams, Double D Destroyers and High Risk! This special event empowers all attending fans to make a meaningful impact, as a portion of every ticket sold will benefit Pink Heals, making a tangible difference in the lives of neighbors, friends, and loved ones battling breast cancer and other diseases.

Breast Cancer Hits Home with Pink Heals

Pink Heals is a national nonprofit organization founded in 2007 by Arizona firefighter Dave Graybill, dedicated to changing how communities show support for those battling cancer and other diseases. The organization is known for “supporting women and their families, not causes,” because it directly distributes funds raised to people battling cancer, as well as major illnesses and diseases like ALS and MS.

Joliet’s chapter, led by President Angie Caldwell, explained that more than half of their visits are to the homes of breast cancer fighters.

“We’re all volunteers, and every dollar fundraised goes back into the community. Most important are the home visits. For 15-20 minutes, they can forget about that battle, feel that love and support, and know they are loved. We give them hugs or fist bumps if they can’t do hugs. We let them know they are not alone,” Caldwell said.

“It’s hard. Traveling for treatment is hard, and it takes a toll on your family. Even if they have insurance that pays for everything, there are still all these added costs that come with it. If we can take a little bit of that pressure off, it makes a huge difference,” Caldwell explained.

“We would never be able to do what we do without the community’s support,” Caldwell said. “We are so blessed that we have so many great partnerships with amazing businesses and local schools. That’s really what makes us go,” she added.

2026 will be the first time Pink Heals is fully immersed in the Dirt Oval at Route 66. Three vehicles from their pink fleet will be on display, all of which are named after breast cancer fighters who were central to their cause.

“Tina, the pink police car, is named after my aunt, who had breast cancer. Kris, who our fire truck is named after, started with breast cancer, and so did Michelle, our other truck,” Caldwell explained, telling stories of how their volunteers and fighters meant so much to her and the organization as a whole.

How Pink Heals Supports Families

“We give love, hugs and support – that’s the biggest thing we do,” said Caldwell. The Joliet Chapter was founded in 2013 to make sure funds raised directly benefit Joliet-area families.

“In 2025, we helped 142 families in our community and ended up giving out over $230,000 —and that’s because we have such strong community support with local businesses, schools, and every dollar that’s fundraised goes back into the community,” Caldwell explained.

Of the 142 families helped, they completed 47 home visits. Sometimes benefactors are in the hospital or too ill for a visit, so they send the help financially.

How Pink Heals Visits Help

When a loved one is facing the unthinkable, Pink Heals is there to help. Those interested in showing support for a loved one simply fill out a visit nomination request. The chapter handles it from there, coordinating with the person requesting the visit to make sure everything happens as planned.

On visit day, the Pink Heals crew arrives with a parade of first-responder vehicles, painted pink and signed by the people they visited. Some leave inspirational messages on the trucks, too.

Typically, the local fire and police departments will also arrive in full lights & sirens as part of the parade, along with a long line of volunteers from the Pink Heals crew.  Loved ones join in making the person being visited feel loved, supported, and not alone in their fight. The visits bring the community together for hope, strength, smiles, and even a few tears.

The recipient receives a hand-delivered check, then is handed a pen to leave their mark of encouragement for another on the Pink Heals vehicle.

Learn more about the Joliet Chapter of Pink Heals here: PinkHealsJoliet.org