Cancer survivors, family and friends carry torches that will be used to light the season’s final WaterFire down the State House steps last night.

The Providence Journal / Ruben W. Perez

PROVIDENCE –– For at least five hours yesterday, Gail Gutierres stood in a makeshift tent city across from the Providence Place mall, wearing a pink banner across her chest announcing to all passersby that she had battled breast cancer and won.

On another night, Gutierres’ “SURVIVOR” banner might have stuck out.

But thousands of people, many donning pink T-shirts and ribbons, participated in last night’s third annual Flames of Hope Celebration of Life, a charity event aimed at promoting breast-cancer awareness and raising money for the Gloria Gemma Breast Cancer Resource Foundation.

“It’s fun,” said Gutierres, comparing last night’s event set in Waterplace Park to others that take a more somber tone.

Indeed, there was live music, a sports-memorabilia auction, a martial-arts demonstration and a wine tasting, among other attractions. Teams of volunteers sold pink-ribbon balloons and glow sticks. And there was an official “torch lighting” at the State House. Pink lights will surround the capitol dome for the rest of the month.

A corresponding WaterFire lighting — the last scheduled WaterFire of the season — drew hordes of people to downtown Providence as well.

In the middle of it all, Gutierres was a celebrity of sorts last night. The 38-year-old Johnston woman is Miss November in the 2009 Real Rhode Islander charity calendar, which features people because of the goodness of their “inner being” and dedicates one quarter of its proceeds to the Gemma Foundation.

Gutierres autographed the calendar for fans, even while recounting the day at 30 years old she learned her life was in danger.

“I knew right away from the look on the doctor’s face,” she said. “I didn’t think at 30 years old I would ever hear those words.”

The day after the doctor’s visit, they surgically removed the lump. The first of four chemotherapy treatments would begin less than a month later.

Gutierres has been cancer free for seven years.

She said she wants all women –– especially those who are young –– to know it’s possible to survive breast cancer, despite the sobering statistics.

An estimated 40,480 women will die of breast cancer in 2008, according to the Gemma Foundation. It is the second leading cause of cancer deaths in women after lung cancer.

The foundation also notes that aside from skin cancer, breast cancer is the most common form of cancer among women; 1 in 8 women will develop invasive breast cancer in her lifetime.

Gutierres says she’s thrilled to be alive. She has a lot to look forward to.

Despite being told she could never have children, she is now six months pregnant. It will be her first child. She’s not sure about the sex.

“I want to be surprised,” she said.

speoples@projo.com