On Saturday, Oct. 13, a team of runners will participate in the first-ever 10K to benefit Elizabeth's Hope in Prospect Park, Brooklyn.
Part of the Rock'n'Roll Marathon series, the 10K will include over 50 runners who are raising funds for Elizabeth’s Hope, an initiative founded by Bronxville native Elizabeth Minter, her family and her doctor to benefit The Children’s Brain Tumor Project at Weill Cornell Pediatric Brain and Spine Center.
The late Elizabeth Minter was diagnosed at age 20 in 2010 with gliomatosis cerebri, a rare and inoperable brain tumor. Her family has carried on the goal of Elizabeth’s Hope since her passing in May of 2012.
The growing list of runners have secured sponsors whose pledges will help fund laboratory research to search for a cure for devastating and rare pediatric brain tumors like the one that claimed Elizabeth Minter’s life. These rare cancers are often the last to be funded for research, or attract the support of major foundations.
“This work is critically important,” says Jeffrey Greenfield, MD, PhD, who worked with Elizabeth and her family to start Elizabeth’s Hope. “More common cancers, like breast cancer and lung cancer, get large grants from major foundations, but pediatric brain tumors are so rare that they can’t compete for those grants.
Yet we desperately need research scientists and bioinformatics specialists to interpret the genome sequencing data that we believe is key to a cure.”
Dr. Greenfield will be joining the Elizabeth’s Hope team as a runner. All Elizabeth’s Hope runners will be supplied with specially designed Elizabeth’s Hope tee shirts.
This unique and exciting marathon will follow a picturesque course in Prospect Park lined with live DJs and bands, bursting with the colors of peak fall foliage. The marathon will end with a post-race festival and live concert, headlined by the band Neckbeard Telecaster.
The race will begin at 7:30 a.m. To register, visit http://runrocknroll.competitor.com/new-york/register To learn more about the event and Elizabeth’s Hope, please visit http://elizabethshope.com/
About Elizabeth’s Hope: Elizabeth’s Hope was founded in 2011 by Bronxville native Elizabeth Minter and her family and friends, after Elizabeth was diagnosed with gliomatosis cerebri. This rare and inoperable brain tumor strikes primarily children, adolescents, and young adults, but since it occurs in relatively small numbers it does not receive research funding from major foundations. Determined to create hope in patients and families facing this diagnosis, Elizabeth created Elizabeth’s Hope. Every dollar raised through Elizabeth’s Hope goes to the Children’s Brain Tumor Project at Weill Cornell Pediatric Brain and Spine Center, where researcher and neurosurgeon Jeffrey Greenfield, MD, PhD, and his team are searching for a cure.
About the Children’s Brain Tumor Project: The Children’s Brain Tumor Project was founded in 2011 by the Weill Cornell Pediatric Brain and Spine Center, under the direction of neurosurgeon-researchers Dr. Mark Souweidane and Dr. Jeffrey Greenfield. The project owes its inspiration and launch to Elizabeth Minter, whose battle with gliomatosis cerebri inspired this groundbreaking research initiative – a team effort that combines two unique approaches to treating rare and inoperable brain tumors that strike children, adolescents, and young adults. The Project’s goal is to bring hope to the hundreds of young patients each year who confront heartbreaking diagnosis of gliomatosis cerebri, DIPG, AT/RT and other devastating brain tumors – tumors so rare that they don’t get the funding or attention scientists need to find a cure. Dr. Souweidane has spent more than a decade researching and testing alternative delivery systems for these tumors. Dr. Greenfield’s interest in genomic medicine and identifying the best therapeutic agents for each individual tumor creates a perfect synergy of personalized medicine and novel delivery. Childrensbraintumorproject.org
About the Rock 'n' Roll Marathon Series: Organized by Competitor Group, the Rock 'n' Roll Marathon Series is famous for lining race routes with live bands and cheerleaders, massive participant numbers and rocking post-race concerts. The original Rock 'n' Roll Marathon in 1998 is still recognized as the largest inaugural marathon in history with 19,979 entrants. Over the 15-year history of the series runners have raised more than $270 million for a variety of worthy causes and nonprofit organizations. Today, the series of marathons and half-marathons has spread to 27 cities around the world. For more information, please visit Competitor.com or follow us on Twitter @RunRocknRoll.
