This Run of Hope is more than just a race; it's a powerful fundraising event dedicated to pediatric tumor research. By joining us, you and your family will run in solidarity to support children battling cancer and their families. It's a tangible way to make a real difference in their lives.
Why This Matters: The Urgent Need for Pediatric Cancer Research
Cancer is a devastating disease for children and their families, and it remains the #1 cause of death by disease for children. Even for survivors, 95% experience chronic side effects, impacting their long-term health and quality of life. There is an urgent need to develop new, less toxic treatments that allow children to not only survive but thrive with minimal or no lasting side effects, so they can enjoy a happy, healthy childhood.
Despite this critical need, pediatric cancer research is severely underfunded. Currently, only 8% of government cancer research funding is allocated to pediatric cancers. With cuts to biotech research funding and potential changes to Medicare/Medicaid policies, the situation is even more dire. That's why fundraising through events like the Run of Hope, organized by Seattle Children's, is absolutely vital to advance life-saving research.
Seattle Children's: A Leader in Care and Innovation
Seattle Children's Hospital is at the forefront of groundbreaking research while providing compassionate care to patients. Their immunotherapies, like CAR-T, have extended patients' lives and brought hope to countless families. I, Yusuke, have been developing immunotherapies for solid tumors at Seattle Children’s and have seen firsthand how the entire Seattle Children's community—from doctors to researchers—works together with a shared mission: saving patients and instilling hope. Both of us, Yusuke and Andressa, have been constantly hearing stories of how the hospital has touched and often saved the life of loved ones since moving to Seattle. Their dedication to the community is truly inspiring.
This sense of community is what motivated us to connect Seattle Children's with the SIDC community. Since joining SIDC, we've been incredibly grateful for its strong sense of community, including its engaging events and committees. We had an excellent experience at last year's Run of Hope: We connected with patient families, witnessed the heartwarming bonds formed during the kids' runs, and children developed hearts full of compassion and community spirit. This fueled our desire to create an SIDC team for this year's Run of Hope and extend this meaningful opportunity to you!
How you can help
We invite you to join us in building a stronger community and offering vital support to pediatric cancer patients and their families.
Join Our Team: Register now to run or walk with us on September 21st. There's a Kids Dash for our little ones, as well as a 5K Run and 3K Walk for older children and adults. Let's fill Seward Park with SIDC spirit! Please make sure to select the SIDC team when registering.
Donate to Our Page: Please consider making a donation right here on our fundraising page. No amount is too small, and every contribution makes a powerful impact on the critical research being done.
Share Our Message: Spread the word! Share this page with your friends, family, and social networks. The more people who are aware of our efforts, the more hope we can inspire and the more resources we can provide to the scientists working tirelessly to find cures.
Thank you for reading our message and considering supporting this vital cause. Your contribution, in any form, means the world to cancer patients, their families, and everyone involved in this effort. We can personally attest to the profound impact of this event from our experience last year. We strongly encourage you to attend this event as a family to support the cause and show our young ones the power of community and empathy.
Thank you for your generosity and support!
Yusuke Suita and Andressa Maia (on behalf of the Seattle Infant Development Center team)
