It is often said that no one would choose to be a member of the lung cancer community, but a common silver lining is that some of the strongest relationships are forged among patients and caregivers. There is an instant kinship from shared experience that is priceless.
We know you are smart, kind and resilient. What often gets overlooked, however is how creative and FUN you are, and that was on display in spades for our first ever Summer Jam Virtual 5K Your Way on June 20, 2020. All of us here at GO2 for Lung Cancer were BLOWN AWAY by how you showed up for your team and each other!!
You made us laugh, you touched our hearts, and wowed us with your innovative ideas! There were scooter 5Ks, ATV Obstacle courses, Rubik’s Cube Speedruns, headstands for donations, speed golf, hikes in the mountains and forests, and in rose gardens. Your teams were in golf cart parades, walked theme parks, danced, biked, kayaked, played tennis, played badminton, and soccer. You walked in cities, on beaches, along shorelines, ran through neighborhoods and farm fields, practiced yoga outdoors, and streamed online.
You chalked and you sang and you walked your dogs. You carried signs and photos of those you love. You wrote words of encouragement and we cheered you on as we all laughed and celebrated lives well lived, together!
You created 95 teams with representatives from all 50 states, plus Ireland and Canada! There were 880 of you: family members, friends, medical professionals and 88 patient/survivors–sharing your fundraising pages with friends and family, inviting them to support you and join in the fun. In fact, through social media, you mentioned the event over 208 times, reaching over 378,000 people! Now THAT is raising massive awareness!
Your efforts, combined with the support of 15 local and national sponsors, not only raised awareness about lung cancer but raised over $152,000 that will help GO2 for Lung Cancer continue to provide dedicated programs to increase lung cancer survivorship! That is extraordinary!
Through your willingness to try something new, you broke out of isolation and past physical boundaries to create a sense of team work and community. You showed up for each other and it was felt across the country, and across the ocean.
“Even though I 5K’d alone…I felt the presence of all those 5K-ing with me. It was an overwhelming feeling of love, compassion, encouragement, and, just the knowledge that so many others in my same position were doing 5K THEIR WAY!!”
Thank you to everyone who brought this event to life. Many of you have asked if we will do this again. We will if YOU will! Thank you to everyone who shared their photos, see them all here.
Please stay tuned to GO2 for Lung Cancer’s events page to find out about more upcoming virtual opportunities.
To see more photos from this amazing day, click here.
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