Edhat Staff
Photos by Fritz Olenberger
By the edhat staff
The annual Cancer Center’s Walk/Run raised over $175,000 in funds with the event taking place in Montecito on Sunday.
The event began at 7:00 a.m. at Montecito Union School and featured a new 5K and 10K course as well as a Kid’s Fun Run with a brunch catered by the Four Seasons Biltmore.
The Walk/Run has raised $3,440,329 since its inception in 1993.
This year marked the 10th Walk/Run without Julie Main, an influential member of the event. Since its inception, Main helped organize the event, sought sponsors, led the Training Program and acted as emcee.
Each year, in her honor, the Cancer Foundation presents the Julie Main Inspiration of Hope Award. It’s given to a cancer survivor who has participated in the Cancer Well-fit Program and exemplifies what Main stood for: courage, perseverance, hope, and serves as an inspiration to others by finding the strength to cope with cancer through exercise.
This year Dan Manfredonia was honored with the award. Previous awardees include Michael Orchowski, Lorena Ortiz Schneider, Kate Ocean, Reggie Hepp, Rosalyn Collins, Mara Hochman, Sue Suttner, Patricia MacFarlane, and Jack Bianchi.
One hundred percent of the proceeds from the Walk/Run benefit the Clinical Research Program and the Oncology Supportive Care Programs at the Ridley-Tree Cancer Center. Through their Research Program cancer-fighting agents are made available to adult and pediatric patients in our community.
Funds from the Walk/Run also underwrite the Supportive Care programs for patients that contribute to an integrative approach to cancer care. The programs provide patients with a full spectrum of physical, psychosocial and emotional support- including financial support, yoga, nutritional counseling, art classes, and more.
