My very own cancer survivor, Scotty and I are running the Scope it Out 5K in March.
Who wants to join us?
Sunday, March 25, 2012 9:00 AM
Near Freedom Plaza 1350 Pennsylvania Avenue NW
Washington , DC
Scope It Out 5K Run/Walk for Colon Cancer Awareness will be held in the heart of downtown Washington, DC. The race will kick off at Freedom Plaza (13th & Pennsylvania) and will include a scenic tour of popular DC sites including the National Galley, Newseum, FBI Headquarters, Ford’s Theater, U.S. Botanical Gardens, and the Capitol.
The annual event, held during National Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month, is expected to attract as many as 5,000 participants. The Washington, DC/Metro Area has the third highest colon cancer mortality rate in the country. Overall, colon cancer is the 2nd leading cause of cancer deaths for men and women combined. More than 145,000 new cases were diagnosed in 2010.
“Fighting cancer can be an uphill battle, but one of the most inspiring things about being part of the fight is seeing thousands of people from the Washington, DC community standing at the start line unified and striving for the same common goal – to prevent/end colon cancer,” said Michael Sapenzia, Chris4Life Executive Director. “It often brings me to tears.”
The race started as a tribute to Charles A. Kraenzle who lost a two-year battle with colorectal cancer in 2002. The inaugural race was held in 2005 drawing more than 700 participants. The race was an effort to call attention to the test (the colonoscopy) that would have saved Kraenzle’s life if his family had been aware of its importance. The race name is an attempt to be both direct and humorous – to encourage others to talk about the need to be scoped.
To date, the Scope It Out 5K has donated more than $390,000 to further colorectal cancer research and awareness. The race continues to grow each year with a 2011 goal of raising $500,000 in race proceeds which will be donated to Chris4Life. Scope It Out 5K is one of the fastest growing races in the region and one of the largest annual colon cancer awareness events in the country.