The first-ever Little Heroes 5K Run and Fun Walk will be held on Saturday, Sept. 19 at Cooper River Park in Pennsauken. The event will raise funds and awareness for the Children’s Tumor Foundation (CTF), an organization dedicated to improving the health and wellbeing of children and families affected by neurofibromatosis (NF), a genetic disorder that affects 1 in 3,000 children. NF causes tumors, affects vision and hearing, and can lead to other serious health concerns.
The event was created by Ryan Wachter, a longtime Pennsauken resident and director of Channel 19 Pennsauken Television. An avid triathlete, Wachter has used races like the Iron Man Triathlon to raise funds in the past for the Children’s Tumor Foundation. His interaction with Hannah Moreno, Robert Owenby, and Anna Lee Weber, three of the many children bravely living with NF, has inspired him to do even more by creating this special event, which has a super hero theme.
“With the community’s support, we hope to raise money that will increase the number of clinical trials for drug treatments for NF,” says Wachter. “We are confident that continued support for CTF will lead to a cure for our heroes, as well as other heroes worldwide who suffer from this progressive and debilitating disease.”
One hundred percent of the registration fees go directly to the Children’s Tumor Foundation. There is no fundraising required, however all participants will receive a CTF fundraising website upon sign up, free of charge. There are also several sponsorship opportunities available.
For more information, or to register for the event, visit LittleHeroes5K.com.
