RICHMOND, Va. -- In just three weeks, around 40,000 plus runners will take over Monument Avenue in about three weeks, for the 16th annual Ukrop's Monument Avenue 10k.
And one of those runners will be Tammy Harrison, a 10k training team coach and cancer survivor. But this year, she'll be running for one cancer survivor in particular.
"My family is riddled with cancer,” Harrison said. “My sister is pending a double mastectomy in two weeks and she's not even 40.”
Tammy, along with so many runners, will be taking the Massey Challenge, where 10k participants can use their run to honor those who have battled cancer and support VCU Massey Cancer Center, the official charitable partner for the event.
"All the money goes to the Massey Cancer Center for research, to treat for diagnosis,” said Worth Bugg.
Bugg, chair of the Massey Challenge, recently led a team rally at Lucky Foot. He said the Massey Challenge is in its 10th year and the goal is raise $500,000; the same goal over the last nine years.
If they can reach it this time, that would make it five million dollars raised over 10 years.
And the challenge has trickled down to other races. Like the RE Strong race in Urbana in April, which honors Ruth Ellen Hurley, who died of breast cancer last year.
“We feel it's very important to bring attention to breast cancer research. We know just a number of friends and family members that have had breast cancer.”
For Tammy, seeing all the people involved and donating could someday lead to a cure.
“This means hope to me,” she said. “This means maybe one day when people mention the Big C it will be like a cold. It doesn't have to be something scary.”
If you want to be involved, you can donate, or register on a team or as an individual on theMassey Challenge website.
The Ukrop's Monument Avenue 10k is Saturday, March 28.
