LEBANON, Tenn. (WKRN) — Mark your calendars: the date for the 22nd annual 5K benefitting Sherry's Hope has been set for the second week of September.
Sherry's Run, the annual 5K run/walk that benefits nonprofit organization Sherry's Hope—a group that assists those battling cancer—will officially take to the streets of Lebanon at 8 a.m. Saturday, Sept. 13.
According to its website, Sherry's Hope provides cancer patients in Wilson County with financial assistance for things like utility bills, housing payments, groceries and fuel costs, as well as prescription medications and medical expenses.
Additionally, the organization helps provide hundreds of colon cancer screening test kits in order to educate about colorectal health and the importance of screenings and early detection.
Founded in 2008, Sherry's Hope was inspired by its namesake, Sherry Patterson Whitaker. In February 2003, Whitaker began feeling discomfort in her side. After a few weeks, she visited a nurse practitioner and then was immediately hospitalized. Within a few days, Whitaker was diagnosed with a deadly form of colon cancer called adenocarcinoma.
Despite an aggressive treatment plan that included surgery and three rounds of chemotherapy, as well as a positive outlook, Whitaker lost her battle on May 12, 2004.
That September, friends and loved ones of Whitaker gathered to start the first 5K run/walk in her memory. What started as the love of one Wilson County woman soon turned into an "explosion of grace" for the community, according to the organization.
Initially, the organization donated money raised from the race to cancer research in the hopes a cure for colon cancer could be found. In 2008, the organization decided to use the funds to instead help those in the community battling their own cancers with mounting costs associated with a cancer fight.
"Healing begins with hope, and our community provides hope to so many of our neighbors," the organization website reads.
One way the organization helps to support those battling cancer is with a monthly support group. Hosted in partnership with the Vanderbilt University Medical Center Ingram Cancer Center, the support group meets on the third Wednesday of every month at 4 p.m. in the Lebanon Senior Citizens Center, located at 670 Coles Ferry Pike.
Registration for Sherry's Run opens June 3. Pre-registration fees are $35 for a non-timed participant or $45 for a chip-timed participant. There is also a $40 option for those who wish to support the cause but who cannot participate in person due to scheduling conflicts or prohibitive medical conditions. All registrants will receive a T-shirt with their fee, while supplies last.
Race day registration fees are $45 for a non-timed racer, $55 for a timed racer, or $50 for the "sleep-in" participant.
Online registration closes Sept. 13 at 8 a.m., when the race is set to begin.
To view the certified race map, click here.
For more Sherry's Run information, click here. For more information on Sherry's Hope, click here.
from WKRN News 2 https://ift.tt/wCvcQMx
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