WENONAH —The Bradley's Buddies Run/Walk for Leukemia Research, in memory of beloved young Wenonah resident Bradley Caraker, who died of the disease in 2006, is back in Wenonah for its 10th year. Hundreds of runners and walkers from throughout Gloucester County and beyond will gather at Wenonah Elementary School for the run, which is the signature event in a...
WENONAH --The Bradley's Buddies Run/Walk for Leukemia Research, in memory of beloved young Wenonah resident Bradley Caraker, who died of the disease in 2006, is back in Wenonah for its 10th year. Hundreds of runners and walkers from throughout Gloucester County and beyond will gather at Wenonah Elementary School for the run, which is the signature event in a range of charitable activities sponsored by the nonprofit Bradley's Buddies.
The 5K and one-mile walk run kicks off at 9 a.m. on Sunday, Oct. 4, but runners and walkers should arrive early to register and enjoy the pre-race festivities, including music, snacks, and an invigorating warm-up led by local police academy recruits. Pre-registration is available online at runsignup.com/bradleysbuddies and race materials may be picked up in Wenonah Park at the Saturday, Sept. 26 from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.
The cost is $20 before race day and $25 on race day for adults; $15 before race day and $20 on race day for children under 12. There is a family discount of $65 for a family of 4 ($5 for each additional person) Those unable to attend the event who wish to make a donation may send checks payable to Bradley's Buddies to P.O. Box 352, Wenonah NJ 08090. Anyone wishing to volunteer at this year's event is encouraged to contact Eileen Caraker at bradleysbuddies@comcast.net.
To date, the 5K run and one-mile walk has raised $120,000 for pediatric cancer research at the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP). Eighty percent of the funds raised by the run are donated to CHOP for cancer research while 20 percent of the funds supports local children with cancer.
The research funds support the work of Dr. Stephan Grupp, a researcher at CHOP who is working to find a cure for childhood cancer. Grupp has transplanted blood cells from children who have had leukemia into mice in order to replicate and study the cancers, and Bradley's blood cells are among those that he has used.
Bradley's Buddies family funds are used to provide financial support to local families who have been struck by childhood cancer. To date, Bradley's Buddies has provided generous donations to 24 area families.
Bradley's parents, Bill and Eileen Caraker, have worked tirelessly to ensure that Bradley's extraordinary spirit lives on to help children and their families fight pediatric cancer. They formed Bradley's Buddies, a non-profit, volunteer organization that sponsors the annual run/walk.
