Grand Canyon University's Run To Fight Children's Cancer Raises $104,000 For Local Families In Need

Children's Cancer Network, Phoenix Children's Hospital beneficiaries of third annual race

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Apr 18, 2013, 12:44 ET

PHOENIX, April 18, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- Grand Canyon University's third annual Run to Fight Children's Cancer raised $104,000, bringing the total proceeds from the past three races to nearly $200,000 to help local families grappling with cancer.

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The funds were awarded to the event's beneficiaries – Children's Cancer Network and Phoenix Children's Hospital – during a special check presentation today.

"Thanks to an outpouring of support, we are able to fund research, patient care and programs that provide financial and emotional assistance to families and children right here in our community," said Brian Mueller, president and chief executive officer of Grand Canyon University.

The Run to Fight Children's Cancer is the largest race of its kind in Arizona dedicated solely to pediatric cancer. This year's festival-style event, which featured a 10k run, a 5k run/walk and a special quarter-mile Cancer Survivors' Walk, attracted a record 3,000 registrants, along with an additional 1,000 visitors who were on campus to support the participants.

Cooper Gokee, 9, of Maricopa, who was diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukemia in March 2012, served as the honorary race starter. He was joined by a host of other local children dressed in gold "Cancer-Fighting Superhero" capes to signify their fight against the disease.

"Not only was this an inspirational event, it was a fun family day too, with music, food, games and arts and crafts," Mueller said.

The race shines a light on one of the most overlooked and underfunded areas of the disease. This year, an estimated 12,000 children in the United States under the age of 15 will be diagnosed with cancer and 1,300 of them will not reach adulthood.

Grand Canyon University was founded in 1949 and is Arizona's premier private Christian university. GCU is regionally accredited and emphasizes individual attention for both traditional undergraduate students and the working professional in seven colleges: the Ken Blanchard College of Business, the College of Education, the College of Nursing and Health Care Professions, the College of Arts and Sciences, the College of Theology, the College of Fine Arts and Production, and the College of Doctoral Studies. GCU offers traditional programs on its growing campus, as well as online bachelor's, master's and doctoral degree programs. The University's curriculum fuses academic and clinical rigor with Christian values to prepare its students to be skilled, caring professionals. For more information about GCU, visit www.gcu.edu.

Children's Cancer Network is a 501c3 non-profit organization dedicated to providing assistance to Arizona families dealing with childhood cancer. Established in 2004, the organization lends financial support to families, promotes patient and family education about cancer-related issues, and sponsors activities that build the self-esteem of childhood cancer patients and their siblings. Children's Cancer Network is committed to helping children and families dealing with the stressful and uncertain times that begin with initial diagnosis and often continue for years thereafter. Visit www.childrenscancernetwork.org for more information.

Phoenix Children's Hospital, ranked in U.S. News & World Report's Best Children's Hospitals, is Arizona's only licensed children's hospital, providing world-class inpatient, outpatient, trauma, emergency and urgent care to children and families in Arizona and throughout the Southwest. As one of the largest children's hospitals in the country with 465 licensed beds, Phoenix Children's provides care across more than 65 pediatric specialties. The Hospital is poised for continued growth in quality patient care, research and medical education. For more information about the hospital, visit www.phoenixchildrens.com.

SOURCE Grand Canyon University