Purdue's 'Challenge' allows community to run, walk or sleep in for cancer research
March 27, 2015
WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. — The eighth annual Purdue Challenge 5K run/walk that benefits the Purdue University Center for Cancer Research will begin at 8:30 a.m. on April 18.
The race, which is open to the public, begins and ends at Ross-Ade Stadium after navigating 3.1 miles through the north edge of north campus.
Registration before April 1 is $20 for students, Greek organizations and youth groups and $25 for non-student participants. After April 1 the fee is $30. Participants may register online or in person at the North end of Ross-Ade from 4-7 p.m. on April 17, or from 7-8 a.m. on April 18, the day of the race. Participants also may opt to "Sleep-in for The Challenge" or be a team member and create a personalized fundraising page without running in the race.
In 2013, the Challenge was the largest 5K race in Tippecanoe County with more than 2,000 participants, including head football coach and honorary chair Darrell Hazell. Since 2008, it has raised more than $380,500 toward cancer research, which is awarded through a competitive grant process to Purdue researchers whose projects support an innovative idea that will generate high impact in the field of cancer.
This year's grant was awarded to Claudio Aguilar for "A Chimeric EGF-Targeted Bacterial Toxin as Therapeutic Agent Against Bladder Cancer;" R. Graham Cooks for "Ambient Mass Spectrometry for Clinical Diagnosis of Oral/Pharyngeal Cancer" and Yoon Yeo for "Intraperitoneal Drug Delivery System for Post-surgical Chemotherapy of Ovarian Cancer." For a list of projects that have received The Challenge grant, visit the Center for Cancer Research's website.
At 10 a.m. the day of the race, the Cuonzo Martin Challenge Award, honoring former men's basketball player and coach and cancer survivor Cuonzo Martin will be awarded to a student organization with the most donations. The Community Challenge Award also will be given to any group not classified as student, faculty or staff with the highest donation total. The Leroy Keyes Faculty/Staff Challenge award will be presented to a faculty/staff team. The top individual fundraiser will also win a prize package from local businesses and a miniature Hammer Down Cancer helmet. Group awards include a pizza party provided by Puccini's for up to 20 people, a plaque and a miniature Hammer Down Cancer helmet.
Purdue Center for Cancer Research sponsors the Challenge with support from others, including Purdue Federal Credit Union, IU Health Arnett Cancer Care; Dowell Automotive Repair Inc.; Arni's Restaurant; Franciscan St. Elizabeth Health; Parkwest Fitness; and Subaru of Indiana Automotive Inc. For more information and a complete list of sponsors, please visit The Challenge website or the Center for Cancer Research's Facebook and Twitter accounts and use the #PurdueChallenge hashtag.
The Purdue Center for Cancer Research was founded in 1978 and is designated as a National Cancer Institute Basic Cancer Center. The center studies cancer starting at the cellular level to discover how cancers develop, progress and respond to treatment.
Traffic will be disrupted around parts of campus, said Purdue police Lt. Keene Red Elk. Road closures will include:
* Martin Jischke Drive from Tower to Third streets from approximately 8:30-9:15 a.m.
* Third Street from Martin Jischke Drive to McCormick Road from approximately 8:35-9:25 a.m.
* McCormick Road from Third Street to Cherry Lane from approximately 8:35-9:35 a.m.
* Cherry Lane eastbound from McCormick Road from approximately 8:40-9:45 a.m.
* Cherry Lane westbound will have slow traffic to the golf course for the duration of the event.
Writer: Rachel Semple, rsemple@purdue.edu
Media contact: Elizabeth Gardner, 765-494-2081, ekgardner@purdue.edu
Sources: Julie Hendon, 765-494-1109, jkhendon@prf.org
Kim Crist, 765-494-8659, kkcrist@prf.org
Keene Red Elk, 765-494-8221, klredelk@purdue.edu
