Per Duke Comms:
The Duke men’s basketball program is teaming up with the Pediatric Cancer Research Foundation (PCRF), the V Foundation for Cancer Research and Duke Children’s for its inaugural Dribble for Victory Over Cancer. The event, set for Saturday, Sept. 24 on Duke’s campus, will raise funds for pediatric cancer research through the Dick Vitale Fund for Pediatric Cancer, a specialized grant fund at the V Foundation.
Registration and festivities begin at 8:30 a.m. at Brooks Field at Wallace Wade Stadium, with the welcome ceremony set for 9:30 a.m., and Dribble for Victory Over Cancer starting at 9:45 a.m. The Dribble will start and end at Card Gym Lot located at 330 Towerview Road in Durham. Participants will dribble alongside the Duke men’s basketball players in a one-mile loop around the athletic campus. Following the closing ceremonies, the participants are invited to enjoy the family carnival located on the Wallace Wade Stadium Concourse at 110 Frank Basset Drive in Durham.
For more information and to register, click here.
“Both the V Foundation and Duke Children’s Hospital are incredibly special to our program, so joining Dribble for Victory Over Cancer was a no brainer,” said head men’s basketball coach Jon Scheyer. “We’re honored to partner with these two incredible organizations, alongside the Pediatric Cancer Research Foundation, to help in the fight against pediatric cancer.”
The event is now in its 15th year nationally and has raised more than $2 million in the fight against pediatric cancer. After starting at UCLA and St. John’s, the Pediatric Cancer Research Foundation has partnered with the V Foundation to expand The Dribble to other campuses, with Duke participating this year for the first time.
“We are fighting for the future of kids with cancer and hope to ignite the Blue Devil community to engage with us,” said Jeri Wilson, Executive Director, Pediatric Cancer Research Foundation, the organization which pioneered this event for the past 15 years before partnering with the V Foundation to expand the program in 2021. “Together, we can fund research that could lead to the next breakthrough in pediatric cancer treatment.”
September is pediatric cancer awareness month. In the U.S., 47 children are diagnosed with cancer every day. While survival rates have increased due to research, cancer is still the leading cause of death by disease in children 19 years and younger. Severe underinvestment in research has inhibited scientific advancement, leaving most pediatric cancer patients with decades-old treatment options, many of which are too toxic for developing young bodies.
About the Pediatric Cancer Research Foundation
Determined to transform pediatric cancer care via accelerating research breakthroughs, the Pediatric Cancer Research Foundation has one goal: to make it possible for all children facing childhood cancer to beat their disease and realize their full potential. Overseen by scientific thought leaders, its rigorous and competitive process for awarding research grants has contributed to pivotal advancements in the areas of Non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma, Immunotherapy/CAR T cells, Osteosarcoma, Juvenile Myelomonocytic Leukemia, and Acute Myeloid Leukemia. The Pediatric Cancer Research Foundation is a GuideStar Platinum-rated charity and has been ranked as an accredited charity by the Better Business Bureau. Its actions and commitment are encapsulated in its inspiring motto: Powering Cures, Realizing Futures. For more information, please visit www.PCRF-kids.org or follow us @PCRF_KIDS.
About the V Foundation for Cancer Research
The V Foundation for Cancer Research was founded in 1993 by ESPN and the late Jim Valvano, legendary North Carolina State University basketball coach and ESPN commentator. The V Foundation has funded nearly $290 million in cancer research grants nationwide. Event proceeds benefit cancer research funded by the V Foundation. The Foundation awards game-changing grants through a competitive process strictly supervised by a Scientific Advisory Committee. For more information on the V Foundation, please visit v.org.
About Duke Children’s
Duke Children’s Hospital & Health Center is ranked among the top children’s hospitals nationally in nine specialties by U.S. News & World Report. Every year thousands of children are treated at Duke Children’s for a wide range of medical conditions, from common childhood illnesses to life-threatening diseases. Our staff of outstanding physicians and healthcare professionals bring a deep sense of dedication to delivering the finest care to each and every one of our patients. The research we accomplish saves and enhances the lives of many more thousands of young people who may never set foot inside any of our facilities, but who will benefit from a novel surgical technique perfected by Duke pediatric surgeons, a vaccine that Duke pediatric immunologists were among the first to test, or a new diagnostic technology refined for use in children.
Duke Children’s Hospital is a “hospital within a hospital” within Duke Central Tower and Duke University Hospital. It contains pediatric and neonatal intensive care units. The Duke Children’s Health Center includes specialty clinics, a pediatric endoscopy and procedure suite, a pediatric perioperative suite, an outpatient pharmacy, and the Jim Valvano Day Hospital for children and adolescents receiving chemotherapy and other outpatient infusions.
