Valerie Fund Walk and JAG 5K Run This Saturday

This weekend, thousands of walkers and runners will lend a hand in the battle against childhood cancer and blood disorders, one step at a time.

Over 3,000 people are expected at the Fifth Annual Valerie Fund Walk & JAG Physical Therapy 5K Run at Verona Park, which begin at 10 a.m. and 8:30 a.m., respectively, on Saturday, June 11. All proceeds raised by participants will benefit The Valerie Fund.

The Valerie Fund was established in 1976 in the memory of nine-year-old Valerie Goldstein by her parents, Ed and Sue. Today, it offers a variety of medical care, counseling and other services to tens of thousands of children suffering from cancer or blood disorders.

Since its inception 35 years ago, Valerie Fund Children's Centers for Cancer have sprung up in hospitals in the New York-New Jersey-Philadelphia area, which provide comprehensive, state-of-the-art outpatient care to more than 4,000 children each year, many of them receiving treatment close to their homes.

Providing access to top-quality health care without the need for patients and their families to travel long distances is one of the guiding principles of the Fund. Before the Fund came along, many children suffering from blood disorders or cancer were forced to travel long distances to receive care, including Valerie Goldstein.

The Valerie Fund has partnered with physical therapy provider JAG Physical Therapy every year of the run, which has grown considerably in size over the last five years. This year, the partners are attempting to meet an ambitious challenge issued by none other than Sue and Ed Goldstein: To raise $1 million dollars for the Fund.

"We saw this start with 500 people raising close to $50,000. Last year, over 3,000 people raised close to $275,000. This year we're anticipating raising close to $500,000,"  said John Gallucci, owner and founder of JAG Physical Therapy.

"We really want to get the word out about the unbelievable care the Valerie centers provide across the state and beyond."

Bunny Flanders, The Valerie Fund's Director of Communications and Special Events, said the Goldstein's challenge has pushed the organization to redouble its fund-raising efforts. And the efforts are paying off -- Flanders says the total raised this year so far more than doubles 2010's total of $275,000.

This year, over 100 Valerie Fund patients and their families will join in the walk, giving participants the chance to see who their donations and efforts are helping face-to-face.

"This is the one opportunity where the public has the chance to walk side-by-side with the patients and their families," said Flanders.

So far, 2,337 people have raised a total of $325,302.69 in online donations -- not counting cash or check donations, which are tabulated separately. With four days to go until the walk, this year's total has already exceeded 2010's by nearly $100,000.

"The spirit of this event is not how much you give, but to show the children they're supported in their communities. It's about showing them how much we care about them," Flanders said.

Gallucci says seeing the support of the community at an event like this is just another reminder how people step up to support one-another when the chips are down.

"We've seen a lot of disasters over the last several years. With our economy and with natural disasters around the world. The biggest thing we've seen after these events is people helping people. That's what the Valerie Fund is all about. The Valerie Fund needs to be funded and grow so that more children can benefit from it," Galucci said.

Registration for runners starts at 7 a.m. with an 8:30 a.m. start time. For walkers, registration begins at 8:30 a.m. with a start time of 10 a.m. Verona Park is located at the intersection of Bloomfield and Lakeside Avenue in Verona.

For additional information, including how to donate, a course map, parking information, registration and much more, visit the Valerie Fund Walk website, at thevaleriefund.org/walk.