The Family-Friendly, Halloween-themed Charity Event will feature a Kids Can Cure Fun Run, Live Entertainment, a Fit Family Expo, a Halloween Kid Zone, a Costume Contest and more
LOS ANGELES, CA – Get ready for the return of the 17th Annual L.A. Cancer Challenge 5K/10K Walk Run on October 26th. Honorary chairperson actor Michael Muhney of “The Young and the Restless” and “Veronica Mars”and Curt Sandoval, sports anchor with ABC7 Eyewitness News will be joining in the festivities. Now in its 17th year, the LA Cancer Challenge 5K/10K Walk/Run (LACC) is another step closer to finding a cure for pancreatic cancer. Held on Sunday, October 26 at the Veteran’s Administration Grounds in West Los Angeles, the annual Halloween-themed family-friendly charity event will benefit the Hirshberg Foundation for Pancreatic Cancer Research.
As one of Southern California’s largest and most popular charity races, the LACC includes: Kids Can Cure Fun Run; Fit Family Expo; Halloween Kid Zone with pumpkin decorating; live entertainment and a Halloween Costume Parade & Contest. Nearly 5,000 men, women and children of all ages are expected to attend with many of them dressed in festive Halloween costumes.
“Each year, the LA Cancer Challenge brings awareness about pancreatic cancer to more people as well as raises money for much needed research,” said Lisa Manheim, executive director, Hirshberg Foundation. “As we continue to move forward, we see progress in research and treatment bringing us closer to finding a cure.” To date, the LACC raised over 5 million dollars for pancreatic cancer research.
According to the American Cancer Society: Cancer Facts & Figures 2014, an estimated 46,420 Americans will be diagnosed with pancreatic cancer in the U.S. and over 39,590 will die from the disease. Pancreatic cancer has the highest mortality rate of all major cancers. 94% of pancreatic cancer patients will die within five years of diagnosis. Only 6% will survive more than five years. 74% of patients die within the first year of diagnosis. Pancreatic cancer is the 4th leading cause of cancer-related deaths in the US and is one of the few cancers for which survival has not improved substantially for more than 40 years.
The LACC is the Hirshberg Foundation’s signature fundraising event. The public is invited to register as individuals or teams. Early registration will remain open through October 3: $35 (5K OR 10K);$40 (5K AND 10K) and $20 (Kids Can Cure Fun Run ages 2-10). Late registration is open from October 4 – 24 ($40 for the 5K OR 10K) and ($45 for the 5K AND 10K).
For more information or to register for the LACC, call 310-473-5121 or visit www.LACancerChallenge.com. Online registration ends October 24.
How else can you help? Wear purple! Show support by wearing a purple wristband embossed with the Foundation’s motto: You can hope, or you can help. Bands are $2.00 each and are sold in packs of 10. To make purchase or simply make a donation, please visit www.pancreatic.org or call (310) 473-5121.
About the Hirshberg Foundation: Founded in 1997, the Hirshberg Foundation for Pancreatic Cancer Research is a national, non-profit organization dedicated to advancing pancreatic cancer research, and providing information, resources and support to pancreatic cancer patients and their families.
Established by Agi Hirshberg, whose husband Ronald died of pancreatic cancer at the age of 54, the foundation includes the Ronald S. Hirshberg Translational Pancreatic Cancer Research Laboratory; the Ronald S. Hirshberg Chair in Translational Pancreatic Cancer Research; and the Hirshberg Pancreatic Cancer Information Center.
To date, the Foundation has:
- Funded Seed Grant Award Recipients who have received $60 million in NIH grants
- Raised more than $14 million for pancreatic cancer research and education
- Granted over $1 million dollars in financial aid for patients
- Provided assistance to thousands of patients and their families
- Initial funding to UCLA allowed Seed Grant Program to extend to 24 Medical Research Institutions domestic and international.
- Supported the American Pancreatic Association (APA), Japan Pancreas Society, and the European Pancreatic Club’s Annual Meetings
- Presented the Agi Hirshberg Symposium at UCLA, focusing on research progress and patient and family education
- Funded the creation of the Tissue Data Bank at UCLA
- Awarded international grants to new investigators
Foundation Commitments:
- Fund medical symposiums for pancreatic cancer research
- Fund seed grants for new research projects of merit for pancreatic cancer
- Consistently update the pancreatic.org site with the latest news and information
- Host fundraising events to raise awareness and funds for pancreatic cancer
- Provide financial assistance for patients
The Hirshberg Foundation for Pancreatic Cancer Research is a California charitable non-profit, corporation. It is a tax-exempt organization under Section 501(c)3 of the Internal Revenue Code. The federal tax ID number for the foundation (EIN) is 95- 4640311. All donations are tax-deductible to the extent allowed by law.