Get Your Rear in Gear-Elgin aims to help colon cancer patients
Two years ago my wife Sharon was diagnosed with colon cancer at age 45.
She has always been physically fit and a runner. As such, she decided that she wanted to take part in a charity run/walk as part of her recovery process.
We found the Get Your Rear in Gear-Chicago event and the timing worked out nicely. While we were doing that walk, we thought it would be nice to do something like this to benefit the people in our own neighborhood.
So we organized Get Your Rear in Gear-Elgin, which was held for the first time in 2014.
Last year we had just under 500 participants comprising 19 teams. The event was a big success and allowed us to provide a $25,000 grant to the Advocate Sherman Foundation for colon cancer education, prevention and treatment efforts in Elgin.
This year we are hoping to grow larger and raise even more funds for our community.
Several participants in this year's event, which takes place Saturday, Aug. 1, at Prairie View Grade School in Elgin, are sharing their stories about their own experiences with the disease and why they walk.
About Get Your Rear in Gear
Get Your Rear in Gear® events are presented nationally by the Colon Cancer Coalition, a nonprofit organization based in Minneapolis. The events are 100 percent volunteer-driven in communities throughout the United States.
The Colon Cancer Coalition distributes funds raised at Get Your Rear in Gear events back into local communities for colon cancer education, prevention, and screening. By making the words colon, colorectal and colonoscopy a part of the everyday language, we believe we can overcome the fear and decrease deaths from this largely preventable cancer.
A history of the organization, upcoming events, and a list of programs receiving funding from the Colon Cancer Coalition can be found at ColonCancerCoalition.org/Elgin.
If you go
What: Second annual Get Your Rear in Gear - Elgin, a 5K run/walk to bring awareness about colon cancer
When: Saturday, Aug. 1. Registration: 6:30 a.m.; timed 5K run: 8 a.m.; 5K walk, 8:05 a.m.; awards ceremony, 9:15 a.m.
Where: Prairie View Grade School, adjacent to Fitchie Creek Forest Preserve, 10N630 Nesler Road, Elgin
Registration: $40 adults, $20 children 12 and younger
Details: Emceed by Dr. Savitha Susarla, with special guest speakers including Dr. Sonia Godambe of the Illinois Gastroenterology Group, and nurse Stephanie Boecher, director of Advocate Sherman Hospital's Cancer Care Center, plus the EPD Color Guard, a giant inflatable colon, and more. The event includes music, refreshments, tech shirts and marathon quality medals for age group winners, as well as special team awards. Get Your Rear in Gear provides a special opportunity to honor survivors and those lost to colon cancer. Funds raised will stay in the Elgin area, helping with prevention, early detection and treatment, and healthy living projects for this disease via a grant to the Advocate Sherman Foundation.
Website: <a href="http://www.ColonCancerCoalition.org/Elgin">ColonCancerCoalition.org/Elgin</a>.