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This September, thousands of individuals nationwide will join together in the battle against childhood cancer and other life-threatening diseases by participating in the St. Jude Walk/Run to End Childhood Cancer nationally sponsored by Target, Thrivent Mutual Funds and American Airlines.  The Big Bend is one of 63 cities nationwide helping bring attention to these terrible diseases during Childhood Cancer Awareness Month.

In Tallahassee, the St. Jude Walk/Run to End Childhood Cancer will take place Sept. 16, at SouthWood Town Center.

Thanks to generous donors and events like the St. Jude Walk/Run to End Childhood Cancer, families never receive a bill from St. Jude for treatment, travel, housing or food – because all a family should worry about is helping their child live. Treatments invented at St. Jude have helped push the overall childhood cancer survival rate from 20 percent to more than 80 percent since it opened more than 50 years ago. St. Jude won’t stop until no child dies from cancer. With the support of Walk/Run participants, donors and more, we can end childhood cancer together.

Funds raised help patients like Braden. In 2010, at 9-years-old, Braden was found to have a craniopharyngioma---an aggressive, non-cancerous brain tumor. At St. Jude, Braden underwent radiation therapy and endocrine treatments. He completed treatment in 2011 and continues to come back to St. Jude for checkups.

Registration is $10 for walkers and $20 for 5K Run. Children ages 5 and under are free. Participants are encouraged to form teams and raise funds to help support the lifesaving mission of St. Jude, with incentives beginning at the $100 and $250 fundraising levels.

For more information, to make a donation, volunteer or register, visit stjude.org/walkrun. For futher information contact Marie Lofton, ALSAC/St. Jude, marie.lofton@st.jude.org or call (850) 907-1901.