Run2Cure for childhood disease

By Nate Priebbenow

Almost 2,000 people teamed up to combat neuroblastoma cancer at Brisbane’s first Run2Cure, held at New Farm Park on August 10.

Lucy Jones, the CEO of Neuroblastoma Australia, hopes the event can raise awareness for children’s cancer.

“Most childhood cancers are all considered rare diseases, but the reality is, most pharmaceutical companies don’t invest in these child cancers because there’s no return on investment,” she said.

“The current drugs are for adults and are not even suited for children, so the medication to combat cancer is harmful to developing bodies.

“The 50 per cent of children who do survive neuroblastoma may have to manage later effects like hearing loss, infertility and lung issues later in life.”

“Raising awareness and funding research are important, but personally for me, it’s more about bringing the families impacted by neuroblastoma together,” she said.

Ms Jones founded the charity after tragically losing her 2-year-old daughter to the disease.

Yannick Theriault, winner of the event’s half marathon category with a time of 1:16:49, said it was an honour that Team Kara raised $36,457.

“The fact that neuroblastoma, which is so tragic, was only two degrees of separation from me was thought-provoking,” the UQ Social Runners Club president said.

“Susan Le Rossignol reached out for me to represent her daughter, Kara’s team. Kara died of neuroblastoma cancer in 1993, without much hope of being cured.”

Consider donating at neuroblastoma.org.au/give-monthly.

Photo caption: Half marathon winner Yannick Theriault was honoured to represent the late Kara