Amblebrook at Gettysburg Hosts First Annual Memorial 5K Race

September is Childhood Cancer Awareness Month, a time to celebrate treatment advances and survivorship care, to advocate for those bravely fighting the disease, to honor children lost, and to champion a day when every child diagnosed with cancer, can live a long and healthy life.

According to St. Jude's Children's Research Hospital, 43 children in the U.S. alone are diagnosed with cancer every day.

One of those children was Cora Witmer, a radiant soul, who bravely battled Rhabdomyosarcoma (RMS), a type of cancer she was diagnosed with at just 15 months old. RMS is the most common soft tissue tumor in children with approximately 400 cases detected annually in the United States.

When asked what she wanted to do, Cora responded, “fight until I can’t anymore." Desperate to give Cora a chance at life, her family supported her decision to pursue additional treatments until her tiny body could no longer fight. After numerous surgeries, radiation treatments, and chemotherapy sessions, Cora and her family were hopeful that she was cured. However, the highly aggressive nature of RMS led to its reoccurrence. Cora tragically lost her battle against childhood cancer and succumbed to RMS in January 2023 at the tender age of 12.

New Research Delivers Hope

The primary challenge to patients battling metastatic RMS is the development of resistance to commonly used chemotherapy drugs. Therefore, the discovery of new drugs and a focus on drug development strategies are of paramount importance.

In May, the Children's Cancer Therapy Development Institute (cc-TDI) published new research suggesting a framework for RMS drug development, a positive step in saving the lives of children like Cora. Lead author of the study, Shefali Chauhan, Ph.D. said, “We are very excited to have this powerful structural-activity relationship pointing to a starting place for future rhabdomyosarcoma drugs."

Finding Strength in Community

Cora was the beloved granddaughter of Amblebrook at Gettysburg residents. The award-winning 55+ community has prioritized human relationships and has made philanthropy one of its cornerstones. Inspired by Cora's story, the team of Amblebrook at Gettysburg began coordinating its inaugural Annual Memorial 5K Race and Fun Walk in honor of Cora and her family and to raise awareness of and support for childhood cancer research. The maiden event is set for this Saturday, September 16.

“We’re a close-knit community that values human connections formed both at Amblebrook and the larger Gettysburg community," said Sara Carbonell, director of marketing and sales for Amblebrook at Gettysburg. She shared that when the Amblebrook team learned about Cora's story, they immediately began organizing an event in support of her family. "Our newly established Annual 5K by Lifestyle Director Holly Ables and Fitness Manager Katie Green will honor all loved ones of Amblebrook residents who have passed, and all profits from these events will be donated to a chosen charity each year."

Laurie Witmer, Cora's mother, shared, "Cora loved life and didn’t deserve to have hers cut so short. We miss her every day and do not want any other family to endure what we have experienced.”

Recognizing that many children with similar diagnoses face the same fate as Cora, her family has prioritized the development of safer, less harsh treatments designed to give children a chance at life. The family has aligned itself with the Children's Cancer Therapy Development Institute and all proceeds raised through "COuRAgeous for CORA" will be donated directly to the organization, which is dedicated to researching and uncovering new treatments and cures for rare pediatric cancers.

The 2023 Amblebrook Memorial 5K Race and Fun Walk will begin at 8:30 a.m. and will take place on-site at 254 Amblebrook Boulevard, Gettysburg. The event will conclude with a celebration of life, featuring music, food, and activities for participants and their supporters.

Interested participants can register here. The cost to register is $35-$45 per participant. Donations can also be made directly in Cora’s memory to the family’s "COuRAgeous for CORA" care page.

UPDATE (9/18/23): The community support gained through this event net nearly $8,000 in funds which will be donated directly to the Children's Cancer Therapy Development Institute. 148 runners and walkers participated in honor of Cora and her family.