Pediatric Cancer Foundation: 'Give Hope' Walk

NEW YORK On the morning of April 10, the Pediatric Cancer Foundation will hold its 17th annual Walkathon at Manhattan's Riverside Park. The "Give Hope" Walk is the latest effort of the foundation's initiative to contunue to search for cures for pediatric cancer. About 2,300 children and teenagers die from pediatric cancer each year. In fact, cancer is the number one cause of non-accidental death in children--more than diabetes, cystic fibrosis, asthma, congenital anomalies and AIDS combined. More than 12,500 infants and children are diagnosed every year.

For the first time, this year's event will also feature 5K and 5-mile runs at 8 a.m. at Hudson River Park. For $35, participants can run along a course that extends from Houston to 42nd streets. Awards will be handed out to the top three male and female runners. Runners can sign in at Pier 84 (West Side Highway and 43rd Street) beginning at 7 a.m.

Those interested in taking it a little easier can take their time along a path that will span approximately the same distance as a 5K race, starting and ending in the West 79 Street Boat Basin Rotunda. The festivities will begin at 11 a.m. with a welcome and warm-up hosted by ABC7 meteorologist Lee Goldberg. The walk will start at 11:30 a.m. and will be followed by a post walk party with music, food, drink, face-painting, giveaways and raffle drawings.

The registration fee, which includes a complimentary T-shirt, for adult walkers is $35; children, $15. Runners and walkers alike can register online until April 9 by going to www.pcfwalk.org, which also contains a wealth of additional information about the events. Walk-ins are welcome to register at the 10:30 a.m. check-in time at an additional $5 per person.

Those who are unable to participate in the event, can still make a donation or sponsor a walker through the website.

For 40 years, PCF has been leading the way to raise awareness and funds for the treatment of childhood cancer. During that time, nearly 90 percent of the money raised by the foundation has provided funding for such necessities as new protocols, treatment, patient/parent care, fellowships, research equipment and parent-patient support programs.

Founded in 1970, PCF now has chapters in Manhattan and New Jersey. It supports the efforts of doctors and their research at The Morgan Stanley Children's Hospital of New York-Presbyterian, Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, Stephen D. Hassenfeld Children's Center for Cancer and Blood Disorders at NYU Langone Medical Center, The Steven and Alexandra Cohen Children's Medical Center of New York and Maria Fareri Children's Hospital at Westchester Medical Center.