My Cancer Hero set for April 2
BY MOLLIE S. WATERS
The Greenville Standard
The 7th Annual My Cancer Hero 5K will be held on April 2 at 8 a.m. at the football field at Fort Dale Academy.
According to race director Abbie Gardner Ballew, this year’s event will serve to honor a special young man.
“This year we are running to honor the memory of a precious six-year-old named Sawyer Clark,” said Ballew.
Sawyer Clark, who was from Enterprise, led a ten-month, courageous battle against a DIPG brain tumor.
According to the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, “Diffuse intrinsic pontine glioma (DIPG) is a brain tumor that is highly aggressive and difficult to treat.”
Ballew explained that the race will help support the foundation that gave Sawyer an opportunity to visit Disney World before he passed away.
“All money will go to Give Kids the World,” said Ballew. “Sawyer was able to go to Disney through this organization.”
According to the organization’s website, “Give Kids the World Village is an 89-acre, nonprofit ‘storybook’ resort in Central Florida. Here, children with critical illnesses and their families are treated to weeklong, cost-free vacations.”
Ballew is hopeful that people will really come out and support this cause, and people do not have to be runners to do so.
“We are also inviting groups, clubs, businesses, etc. to have a ‘booth’ at the event,” said Ballew. “Just a table and or tent to show off your business and to have treats for the runners and all of those at the event. There is no fee for that. We just ask that your group make a donation to Give Kids the World.”
Of course, runners are needed as well!
Those who are interested in running can sign up by calling Ballew at 334-382-6561. They can also request a race form from her at abbie@agentabbie.com, or they can register online at https://www.raceentry.com/my-cancer-hero-5k/race-information.
Participants will receive a t-shirt with their entry, and Ballew reminds everyone that they will be continuing to honor cancer heroes with names on the back of the shirt.
If anyone is interested in getting someone’s name on the back of the race shirt, they should contact Ballew at the listings above.
