The victory train with hundreds of women and their families on board pulled into the Port Jefferson station Saturday afternoon to celebrate the 12th annual Breast Cancer Victory Day.

The survivors, dressed in pink, boarded buses and hopped on motorcycles to make their way down the road to Mather Hospital, where the event was held.

?This is the only hospital that gives us a party,? says Marie Perniciaro, of Centereach. ?This is truly a celebration of all the survivors and remembrance of people we lost.?

Perniciaro, a 12-year survivor, attended the event with her friend and nine-year breast cancer survivor, Liz Dama-Travis. Both say Victory Day can be overwhelming.

Dama-Travis, however, says she promised herself not to cry for the sake of women who are still battling the illness. Saturday?s event was a day for women who overcame the illness to inspire one another and even do a little shopping to support the cause.

All the survivors who gathered in Port Jefferson are fighting to find a cure, but for now they say early detection is the key to defeating breast cancer.

Amy Catalfomo was diagnosed with the illness when she was only 26 years old. Her mother, who accompanied her to Victory Day, is also a cancer survivor. Catalfomo says young women living on Long Island are especially prone to breast cancer.

Catalfomo advises women to be vigilant about their health and give themselves self-exams in order to detect any early signs of the illness and get regular check-ups.