COMMUNITY NEWS
By Randy B. Young
Correspondent
Runners took major steps toward a brain cancer cure this past Sunday morning at the 11th annual local staging of the Head for the Cure 5K road race at Chapel Hill’s Southern Village. In fact, on average, hundreds of race finishers—walkers, runners, or those pushing strollers—each took thousands of big steps to complete the course in support of brain cancer patient support and clinical research.
The local effort honors those we’ve lost, patients & survivors, caregivers, and healthcare personnel, the Head for the Cure Foundation website said (https://headforthecure.org/), adding, “Head for the Cure inspires hope for the community of brain cancer patients, their families, friends, caregivers and other supporters while celebrating their courage, spirit and energy.”
Taking those steps just a bit faster than the other 500 race registrants and finishers were overall race winner Shane Fitzgerald, 14 (18:27.32), a Culbreth Middle School student, and first-place female finisher Elena Rappold, 14 (21.31.88).
While Head for the Cure assists fundraising for research and treatment of brain cancer through similar events across the U.S., Sunday’s event raised funds for UNC Healthcare’s Lineberger Cancer Institute and specifically its clinic, run over the past three years by Dr. Yasmeen Rauf.
The Institute’s website noted that the UNC Lineberger faculty team treats cancer patients, conducts research into the causes of cancer and searches for new treatments, develops and directs statewide programs in cancer prevention, and trains future physicians, nurses, scientists and public health professionals.
“I’ve been involved with Head for the Cure for four years,” said Maggie Haynes, Director of Events and Operations, Head for the Cure Foundation.
“The first 5K was staged by the Head for the Cure Foundation 23 years ago,” Haynes added. “Our small staff of about 12 people are based in Kansas City, Missouri…but we partner with local hospitals in each market, and here it’s UNC Health.
“Brain cancer is underfunded—it hasn’t got as much awareness around it. We’re one of the very few advocacy organizations whose goal is to raise funds for research.”
“Our Beneficiary Partners and Grants program is an essential part of our mission,” the Head for the Cure Website said, “as it allows us to support various organizations and initiatives that play a crucial role in advancing brain cancer research, providing assistance to patients and caregivers, and raising awareness.”
The initiative’s vision is to mitigate the isolation faced by brain tumor patients, to raise funds through the 5K runs/walks and other programs for clinical research, to build awareness of the disease and treatments, and to inspire hope and joy for brain cancer patients and survivors.
Eager young runners tackle a 100-meter fun run to begin the festivities at the 2025 Head for the Cure 5K. Photo by Randy B. Young
In 2023, Head for the Cure granted nearly $800,000 to different local beneficiaries located across the country from our 5K Run/Walk events, its website said.
The first Head for the Cure 5K event was held in Kansas City in 2003. Since that time, more than a quarter of a million people have joined efforts in the fight. Now beginning its third decade, the initiative has recognized more than 700 survivors and caregivers across the country and raised $25 million in the fight against brain cancer, providing over $1 million to our national partners and local beneficiaries like UNC Healthcare’s Lineberger Cancer Institute to design state-of-the-art clinical trials.
“So far this year, we’ve been in Jacksonville and Orlando, Florida,” said race timing services’ Joanne Bushko Sunday morning. “Yesterday we were in Charleston, South Carolina, then we’re here today, and we’ll also be in New York.”
“It all starts in January, and it ends in October,” Bushko said, “We really go across the country.”
“Here in North Carolina, UNC is our designated partner,” Haynes said. “All of the funds raised here today are provided to UNC for Dr. Rauf’s clinic to do research or patient programs.
“Sometimes we help with direct relief,” Haynes added, “such as when you’re going through a brain tumor diagnosis, what you may need is help paying for bills, groceries, transportation to appointments, and we also provide funds for research to staff researchers in Dr. (Yasmeen) Rauf’s clinic. It helps to provide more resources for research funding.”
“We’ve had a busy last couple of years,” Haynes said. “We’ve raised almost $400,000 for UNC Lineberger over the past 11 years here in North Carolina.”
One of the leading cancer centers in the nation, Chapel Hill’s UNC Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center is one of only 41 National Cancer Institute-designated comprehensive cancer centers and earned the highest rating of “Exceptional” from the National Cancer Institute.
“I’ve been involved for the last three years,” said clinic director Dr. Yasmeen Rauf, an Assistant Professor of Neurology and Neurosurgery at UNC.
“The majority of my clinical practice is patients with glioblastoma,” Dr. Rauf said on her UNC Healthcare website. “For me, the top priority is always patient care, to treat every patient like they were my family members. I am there not just to offer treatments that are available at my center, but also to talk about treatments that may be available across the country or globe.”
“I’m basically here to make sure that people here can support Dr. Rauf,” said Felicity Sawyer, Event Coordinator for Dr. Rauf’s clinic and UNC Lineberger. “There are plenty of folks here that are on Dr. Rauf’s staff or in her clinic.”
Following on the heels of overall winner Shane Fitzgerald were James Jushchuk, 28 (18:27.32), and Colin Chen, 21 (19:51.44).
Among females, M. Rappold, 12 (21:54.89), finished just behind her older sister Elena, earning second place, while Addison Bakmaz, 15 (22:35.63), earned third place overall among females.
Jeff Neiman, 48, was tops among masters males (40+) at 21:14.66, and Kristi Hildebrand, 41, won the women’s masters category in 23:25.37.
“The course was very hilly,” Fitzgerald said just after finishing the final sprint uphill to the finish line.
Overall female winner Elena Rappold turns the final corner and charges toward the finish line at the 2025 Head for the Cure 5K. Photo by Randy B. Young
Timing services coordinator for Sunday’s local event Joanne Bushko said the Head for the Cure race team would be heading west.
“There are a couple of us that help with timing, so I don’t have to go anywhere, but I believe our next event is in Orange County (California),” she said, “and I think they leave Wednesday.”
Those who missed Sunday’s local event and are so compelled can still support the cause through donations which support brain cancer research, patients & caregiver resources, and brain tumor programs, education, and initiatives through its website: https://headforthecure.org/donate/.
In the meantime, Head for the Cure will continue to put brain cancer through its paces and support advances, step by step, in research, treatment, and support.
A Dartmouth College graduate, Randy B. Young first worked as an award-winning advertising copywriter in New Hampshire, then in communications at UNC for over 30 years. He maintained an award-winning newspaper feature covering Recreation and Exercise in the Chapel Hill, Carrboro, Orange County. Retired and living in Chapel Hill, Randy continues to write for regional publications both locally and in New England, and his book, And the Stars Flew With Us, is available through Amazon and at independent bookstores. He coaches track at Chapel Hill High and has a photography business, Pierless (sic) Photography. This reporter can be reached at: Information@TheLocal Reporter.press
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