Miles for Meso 5K Race Raises $25,000 for Cancer Research

ALTON, Ill., Sept. 29, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- The 3rd annual Alton Miles for Meso 5K Race & 2K Family Fun Run, sponsored by the Simmons Law Firm, raised $25,000 for mesothelioma research over the weekend thanks in large part to record-breaking attendance and appearances by international and national Olympic-caliber runners.

(Photo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20110929/CG77590)

"We had a very successful race with more than 600 people participating, including about 40 runners who are among some of the country's top running talent," said Simmons Firm CEO Gregg Kirkland who ran in the race. "Thanks to the support of everyone involved, we were able to host a first-rate event to raise awareness about mesothelioma, asbestos exposure and the work being done to find a cure."

The money, a combination of registration fees, sponsorships and personal donations, benefited the Mesothelioma Applied Research Foundation, a national charity that has donated more than $7.1 million to peer-reviewed mesothelioma research and patient support. Since the Meso Foundation started in 2000, the Simmons Firm has been its top cumulative donor.

"Every year, the Alton Miles for Meso race gets better and better," said Race Director Mike Wever. "The Alton Miles for Meso is quickly becoming one of the best fall 5K races in the Midwest in terms of the challenging course, the prize money and the level of competition."

New to this year's race was the elite registration category, Wever said, which attracted top professional runners from as far as way as California, Oregon, Kentucky and even Kenya, Africa. The draw was the largest fall 5K purse in the Midwest at more than $6,000. First through fifth finishers in the Elite 5K men's and women's divisions were awarded cash prizes of $1,500, $750, $500, $250 and $100.

In the men's division, Julius Koskei, of Hebron, Ky., finished first with a time of 13:48; Emmanuel Bor took second at 13:51; Patrick Cheptoek, of Bowling Green Ky., finished third with 13:52; Derese Deniboba finished fourth with 14:01; and Richard Kandie, of Coon Rapids, Minn., finished fifth with a time of 14:08.

In the women's division, Stephanie Pezzullo finished first with a time of 16:16; Tonya Nero took second with 16:20; Juliane Masciana, of Anaheim, Calif., placed third with 16:39; Megen Duwell took fourth at 16:53; and Sara Pease placed fifth with 16:57.

For complete race results, visit the Miles for Meso race results page.

About the Simmons Firm:

The Simmons Firm, headquartered in Alton, Ill., is one of the country's leading asbestos and mesothelioma litigation firms. With offices in Illinois, Missouri and California, the firm has represented over 2,000 patients and families affected by mesothelioma in every state. The Simmons Firm has pledged over $15 million to cancer research and proudly supports mesothelioma medical researchers throughout the country in order to find a cure. For more information about the Simmons Firm, visit http://www.simmonsfirm.com.

Contact: Mark Motley
Simmons Browder Gianaris Angelides & Barnerd LLC
618.259.2222
[email protected]

SOURCE Simmons Browder Gianaris Angelides & Barnerd LLC