CureSearch Walk raises childhood cancer awareness

By Ali Pavlicek
Western Herald

Stories about battles with cancer can seem distant and unrelated to student’s busy lives as many carry on each day with a full load of classes, jobs, and responsibilities.

Whether students want to realize it or not, cancer is actually much closer to them than one may imagine and some of the hardest hit individuals locally are those who are affected by childhood cancer.

The fourth annual CureSearch Walk for childhood cancer awareness and fundraising toward cancer research strives to bring in individuals from the community to either walk or volunteer during the event.  Beginning at 9 a.m. on May 23, participants can register in person if they have not registered online and activities will be going on all day, along with the walk itself and a picnic afterward.

The key issue that the walk’s marketing and communications coordinator Luann Harden sees as an issue is the lack of university involvement for the organization’s event.

“Maybe if groups or organizations [on campus] would want to do some community service, [they could] go to the Web site and make their own team,” Harden said.  “Even if an organization wanted to have their own event, they could do that, [and] the money raised would go to the CureSearch walk.”

Harden said that she envisions fraternities, sororities, and student organizations challenging one another, or even informal groups, such as intramural sports teams getting involved.

One aspect of the walk that might draw particular interest to college students on a pre-medical track is the attendance of many physicians and medical staff from local hospitals.  Dana Cook, the
CureSearch walk’s event chair, said that physicians attend from Bronson’s oncology department, along with the chief of neurosurgery from the University of Michigan.

“My son Caleb was diagnosed with a malignant brain tumor in July 2000,” Cook said.  “We were living up at the University of Michigan off and on for two years and saw lots of families who had lost their children.  Seeing grief in the families is what keeps us going.”

Cook explained that she hadn’t realized how important it is to raise funds for childhood cancer until she started the walk four years ago.  She estimated that about 30 families affected by childhood cancer came out for the day last year.

“If [only] people realized how much progress they’ve made,” Cook said.  “Sometimes childhood cancer gets overshadowed over other cancers.”

Harden specifically mentioned breast cancer as receiving a lot of awareness, but she said that the fact that the money raised helps children, brings about participant gratification and fulfillment.

“I think that it’s important to have all ages [participate] because the parents dealing [with their child’s cancer] right now are affected, but with younger children, they are not able to raise the money [needed],” Harden said.  “Adults need to be responsible, and seeing the kids puts you in touch with reality.”

Cancer survivors can register separately from other participants in order to receive backpacks, prizes, and bandannas to wear during the event.  Siblings of cancer patients also get recognition with special registration for them, too, allowing them to wear a certain colored bandanna and to participate in specific activities.

Some of the kids’ activities, such as games and crafts, will occur before the walk, and around 10 a.m., the opening ceremony will begin, which will include a speech from the director of CureSearch.
Just before the walk, doves will be released, a ribbon will be cut, and the 3.1-mile walk will begin.  Buster Bronco and other mascots will be attending the walk and area merchants will provide food, as well.

WMU students in particular can connect with the event by checking out the Western Herald’s Web Manager Kristofer Hitchcock as he performs with his country band, Small Town Son, as one of many live music performances.

Both Cook and Harden encourage anyone interested in participating in the walk or in volunteering to visit www.curesearch.org/milestones or to email walkinfo@curesearch.org.

Anyone interested in joining a WMU team can sign up under Team Bronco, or they can start their own team.  Participants who register for the walk are required to pay a $10 fee in advance.

“I’m excited that we’ve got great help,” Cook said.  “The more help that we can get, [the better]. That’s our goal.”

Short URL: http://www.westernherald.com/?p=5307

Posted by HeraldAdmin on Mar 30 2009. Filed under Campus, Local, News. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. You can leave a response or trackback to this entry

Cody Kimball
Web Manager: I'm a Communication Student at WMU, a SCUBA Diver, Boater, Ordained Minister, Notary Public, Web Designer, Film Maker, DJ, and of course a Journalist. Born and raised in Port Huron, MI and a graduate of SC4. http://www.codykimball.com