This year I’m participating in Lurie Children’s Race Against Cancer on Thursday, September 17, in honor of Chase Ewoldt — “Race for Chase” Donate to Lurie Children’s Here — because every child deserves the very best chance at a healthy future.

As many of you know my son Connor is recovering from a neurological condition and has benefited from the incredible Neurology team, care, and treatments at Lurie Children’s. That makes this year’s effort to raise money for the Race Against Cancer and support Lurie Children’s even more meaningful to me.

Their work makes a real difference for families like ours, and for our close friends and family of Chase, who continue to fight after being diagnosed with ATRT, a rare and aggressive cancer of the central nervous system, in July 2012. Since then, Chase’s story has become a powerful testament to the impact of an aggressive childhood cancer diagnosis and the importance of continued research, care, and support.

Each year, more than 200 children are diagnosed with cancer at Lurie Children’s. The doctors, nurses and researchers caring for them are working every day to develop better treatments, advance lifesaving research and support families through every step of the journey.

But they can’t do it alone.

Even a small gift can help fund critical care, groundbreaking research and programs that support kids and families during and after treatment.

How Your Support Helps Kids Facing Cancer

$25 helps provide educational resources that guide families through a new cancer diagnosis.

$50 supports survivorship care through the STAR Program for children who have completed treatment.

$100 helps offset the cost of genetic counseling and testing for families at risk of hereditary cancer syndromes.

$250 supports tumor tissue banking that helps researchers better understand childhood cancers.

$500 helps train the next generation of pediatric oncology specialists.

$1,000 can support neuropsychological testing to help children overcome challenges caused by cancer or treatment

Would you consider making a donation to support my race?

Together, we can move closer to a future where every child not only survives cancer, but thrives!

Thank you for being part of this important cause.