Guest blogger Nicola (Nike) Beddow is the Director of Events at Accelerate Brain Cancer Cure (ABC2), a Case Foundation partner organization.
One sure sign of spring is the abundance of charity walks and runs raising dollars and awareness for good causes. My family’s favorite spring event is the Race for Hope - DC 5K Run/Walk presented by Cassidy and Pinkard Colliers – held in Washington, DC on Sunday, May 3rd.
This Race is very personal to me – my sister Dana Dazkowski was one of its founders. Dana, along with Lionel and Sandy Chaiken who lost their daughter Pamela to brain cancer, wanted to connect with others diagnosed with this disease to raise much needed funds for a cure.
The Race for Hope – DC has become the largest brain tumor community gathering in the United States, raising over $7.3 million dollars for brain tumor research and patient support services since 1998. Its proceeds benefit the National Brain Tumor Society (NBTS) and Accelerate Brain Cancer Cure (ABC2). Both non-profit organizations play a critical role in offering the marketing, corporate sponsorship, web site platform, and donation processing assistance that empower teams. They are the stewards of the millions of dollars raised for research and patient support services programs. It’s important to note that both ABC2 and NBTS were also founded by families impacted by brain cancer.
Last May, the Race for Hope – DC drew over 7,000 runners and walkers and raised a record $1.75 million. I was impressed to learn that over 65% of Race donations were made online. Family teams, volunteers and corporate sponsors are keys to the Race’s success. Through the Race website, brain tumor patients, survivors and their families and friends create teams and build their own fundraising and awareness campaigns. Volunteers create many signature Race-related events, including: Golf for Hope, Wall of Hope, Healthcare for Hope, Survivor’s Tribute, and most recently, Hockey for Hope. Many corporate sponsors also have very personal connections to this cause, including our long-time title sponsor, Cassidy & Pinkard Colliers.
The Race is always looking for new ways to reach audiences and social media is becoming an important tool. Join our Race Facebook Fan page and Facebook Group, network with us on LinkedIn and follow us on Twitter! We’re also featuring Online Team Challenges, encouraging user-generated “Why I Run” videos, and exploring a text-message campaign for Race updates.
The Race for Hope – DC is very personal to me. Each May, I am reminded of how this Race touches brain tumor survivors, families, friends, and those who have lost a loved one to a brain tumor. I am continually inspired by my brain tumor community, one that is small compared to many other health communities, but whose passion for a cure increases each year. By working together and sharing resources we are making a powerful impact to find a cure for brain tumors. I'd like to invite you to join this community, get involved, and register today!
To get you excited, here is a video from last year's event.
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