Runs, walks to benefit cancer research, awareness and recovery

Runs and walks were held this weekend in Cape Girardeau and Jackson to support cancer research, raise funds and to bring awareness to those affected by the disease.

Run for Ragan 5K & 8K, Memory Walk and Fun Run

The sixth annual Run for Ragan 5K & 8K, Memory Walk and Fun Run was held Saturday at Southeast Cancer Center in Cape Girardeau with proceeds benefiting the Cancer Care Fund. More than 228 people participated, including nearly 20 children.

Patricia Ranzini, executive director of Southeast Health Foundation, said 100 percent of the money raised during the event goes toward providing mammograms for those in need, nutritional supplements, transportation and lodging for out-of-town patients, as part of the Cancer Care Fund.

SoutheastHEALTH has been involved for the last four years, she said. The event initially began by efforts put forth by Barb Ward, in memory of her daughter, Ragan Ward.

Ragan Ward grew up in Cape Girardeau, graduated from Cape Girardeau Central High School, moved to Colorado and earned her Ph.D., Ward said.

Shortly after Ragan Ward became pregnant with her first child, she was diagnosed with stage 4 breast cancer, Barb Ward said.

�Why we talk about early detection is because, during her pregnancy, she kept bringing attention to her doctor about a lump in her breast,� Ward said, �but they kept telling her it was related to her pregnancy.�

Ward said, �We took her to some specialists, started that whole process, and by the time she got to the breast cancer specialist, she was stage 4.�

Ragan Ward lived one year after that, Barb Ward said, and completed a 5K the first weekend of October in Denver, before she died Oct. 29, 2007.

�She pushed her baby in a stroller that day,� Ward said.

The goal of Saturday�s event, Ward said, is to urge others to be �an advocate for yourself, realizing you have to push through some of these things.�

She said last year the event raised $20,000.

�They told us we paid for over 80 mammograms,� Ward said. �Our goal again is $20,000. That�s a good goal for us. If we go over, that�d be great.�

Jessica Basye of Highland, Illinois, was the first female runner to complete the 5K and cross the balloon-adorned finish line, with an approximate time of 22:20.

Basye is an oncology nurse educator within the pharmaceutical industry and said her company sponsored the run.

�I try to do one oncology cancer run a month, at least, to support the cause all across the Midwest region,� she said. �It�s near and dear to my heart and obviously I�ve been touched by cancer personally and professionally.�

Nolan Weber Believers 5K/Fun Run/Walk

The annual Nolan Weber Believers 5K, Fun Run and Walk, also Saturday, was held at Jackson Junior High School in Jackson, with more than 200 participants. Proceeds from the day will benefit the Believing Beyond foundation, which was created to assist local families with children facing life-threatening conditions.

The event is held in memory of Jackson native Nolan Weber who died in 2013 after a nearly three-year battle with glioblastoma, a form of brain cancer.

�From the first year to this year, we�ve been able to stay consistent numbers,� said Rachelle Weber, Nolan�s mother. �We�ve been very blessed. What we�re starting to see is people coming in from Ste. Genevieve and other places farther away.�

Nolan Weber�s father, Dean Weber, said community support �sets the race apart.�

He said Jackson athletic director John Martin makes sure the soccer team doesn�t have a game the week of the race, allowing the team to participate. Martin also makes sure there�s no game scheduled for the field where the race finish line is, Weber said.

Camden Wyatt, Jackson High School class of 2021 and member of the soccer team, ran the race in his soccer jersey � with a black patch featuring Nolan Weber�s initials on the left sleeve.

�I didn�t know Nolan, but I could tell he was a good guy,� Wyatt said.

jhartwig@semissourian.com

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