'Run to Beat Cancer 5K' at Inner Harbor aims to raise money for cancer research
BALTIMORE -- Lacing up for a second year, the "Run to Beat Cancer 5K" will return to Inner Harbor to raise money for cancer research.
The proceeds will go to the Ulman Foundation and the Johns Hopkins Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center.
The race will kick off at the hotel at 9 a.m. on June 10.
If you want to sign up, you can head to their website or donate as a virtual runner.
Three years ago, the cancer center became Hannah Bean's second home.
Her mother Erika Bean knew something was wrong when her child was crying out in pain.
"It was pretty bad back pain," Erika said. "As soon as she fell asleep, within 30 minutes she would wake up in excruciating pain."
After multiple failed tests and no answers from doctors, Erika turned to an orthopedic doctor to do an ultrasound on Hannah's leg.
Tumors were found all over Hannah's body, including her bones, lymph nodes, adrenal glands and spine.
She was diagnosed with Alveolar rhabdomyosarcoma, a cancer that attacks the skeletal muscle tissue.
While radiation and treatments have kept Hannah alive, battling the disease is taking a toll on her body as she recovers from leg surgery.
"She has damage to her tibia from a combination of the disease and radiation treatments," Erika said.
These harsh side effects are the reason why doctors at Johns Hopkins are seeking help from racers to fund their research.
"Childrens cancers are extremely important, and it enables us to really accelerate the research to try to improve the cure rate and the side effects for these poor kids that are afflicted with cancer," Director of Pediatric Oncology Donald Small said.
Small said the National Cancer Institute's budget only dedicates about four percent of its budget to children's cancers.
Therefore, Small said they heavily rely on community donations and efforts like the 5K.
Last year, more than 350 runners raised more than $20,000.
That community support is the reason why the Four Seasons Hotel Baltimore is hosting the 5K again.
"[We want to] keep Hannah healthy and keep this research moving forward to have it to help the next person," Nate Ferguson, the hotel's director of marketing, said.
Hannah said every dollar may help her and others stay out of the doctor's office.
"It will help them to be happy and to live their lives like normal kids, like normal kids," she said.