The Friends of the Helen F. Graham Cancer Center this year are moving their 5K walk/run from Bellevue State Park back to ChristianaCare’s home campus.
The popular — and profitable — Friends of the Helen F. Graham Cancer Center 5K walk and run will return to ChristianaCare’ s Stanton campus this fall.
The third annual 5K, sponsored by the all-volunteer Friends of the cancer center, replaced the organization’s gala three years ago as the group’s main fundraiser for cancer programs and equipment.
Over the years, the Friends have raised more than $2 million.
The two races have brought in a total of $750,000, said Dennis Voorheis, chair of the race.
That bottom line was helped by a $375,000 donation from Susan and Dan Katzin. She’s a lung cancer survivor and the race in 2022 was dedicated to buying a robotic bronchioscope for more accurate and earlier lung cancer detection, which helps save lives.
This year’s race proceeds will support the Community Health Outreach and Education Program, a nurse team that targets disadvantaged groups who may need information, food or other help during their treatment and recovery.
“I can only imagine being food insecure and then getting a cancer diagnosis on top of it,” Voorheis said. “You need healthy food options and choices, and you need access to food.”
Voorhies has never had cancer, but it runs in his family, and his grandmother, aunt and sister have all had breast cancer.
His grandmother died young from it. His Aunt Lucille had a breast removed when she was young and lived a long life with only one breast. His sister had a double mastectomy and reconstructive surgery and is now a cancer survivor.
“That just kind of shows you the progress of treatment of breast cancer over those years,” Voorheis said, “from basically a death sentence to removal of a breast to complete removal and reconstruction with implants.”
Last year, the Friends 5K race drew 500 registrations.
Voorheis says they hope to eclipse that this year, partly by spreading the word and partly by adding prizes for first-, second- and third-place winners in each category as sell as special prizes for achievements such as creating the largest fund-raising team.
The largest team will win an empanada dinner for 25 from Michelle Rodenheiser, who has started a company, Empanalgas, Cheeky Latin Soulfood, making and selling empanadas.
Voorheis’ husband Christopher Davis brought some from Rodenheiser when she was selling at Swigg: Real Wine Craft Beer & Spirits i n Independence Mall. Voorheis and Davis liked them so much, they hired her for a party they were hosting at home.
Then Voorheis realized that if the race was going to raise money for cancer patients experiencing food insecurity and giving them access to healthy choices, prizes could be linked to food to emphasize the theme.
He asked Rodenheiser, and she said yes. He’s still talking to others, but is hoping that prizes may include restaurant gift cards.
Last year’s Friends 5K was held on Halloween weekend, with runners and walkers invited to dress up.
Friends embrace change
The choice to switch from a gala to a race came after the COVID-19 pandemic squashed most fundraisers.
“By the time COVID was ending, people were so happy to get outside and participate in something,” Voorheis said.
A longtime employee of the David Yurman store in King of Prussia, Voorheis previously spent years working in the fitness industry, traveling the country and the world teaching fitness and training fitness instructors.
He voted for the suggestion to go from gala to a 5K because he liked the idea of tying the fundraiser to physical activity.
“It makes a lot of sense given that healthy nutrition and lifestyle are important factors in maintaining one’s health,” he said.
A big bonus of having a race instead of a gala and having the race at ChristianaCare are lower overhead, which means that more of money brought in goes directly to the projects being sponsored, Voorhies said.
WEEKEND FUN: Winterthur’s popular Artisan Market returns with an extra day
Last year, the race was held at Bellevue State Park.
This year’s race will be Sunday, Sept. 29, starting at 9 a.m. Sign-ups are open.
Voorhies sees the overriding goal of the Friends as more than sponsoring events.
It’s mostly about spreading the word that Delaware has a world-class cancer center of its own, he said.
“I always hear so much about people going out of the state for cancer care, but really right here in our backyard, we have an amazing cancer center,” he said. “So part of our work is we’re just out there talking to people every day about the existence at the cancer center, about the programs that they’re working on, and doing public education events.”
Most Popular
Comments / 0