Mortar Board and Omicron Delta Kappa (ODK) at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln are hosting a fun run on Wednesday night, October 24th at 8PM to benefit Team Jack.
Team Jack is named for Jack Hoffman, a 6-year old from Atkinson, Nebraska (pop. 1,100). Fatefully, on April 22, 2011, Jack was life flighted to Children's Hospital Omaha after suffering a life threatening seizure. A subsequent MRI showed a mass in the left temporal lobe of his brain.
Before a second life-threatening brain surgery, the family reached out to the University of Nebraska to see if Jack could meet Rex Burkhead before his surgery. As a result, the University extended an invitation to Jack and family to make the 4 hour drive to the Stadium. During this September 2011 visit, Rex spent several hours with Jack and the family—giving them a tour, having lunch together, and just hanging out. This one experience evolved into a remarkable friendship between a 6-year old boy and a major college football player. During the 2011 campaign, Rex wore a wristband that said: “Team Jack-Pray.”
The chemotherapy regimen that Jack is taking is a 25-year old treatment, as medical advancements in this therapy have languished due to a severe lack of funding.
Team Jack is determined to help find an effective cure for pediatric brain cancer. They are partnered with CureSearch for Children's Cancer, a national non-profit foundation that funds children's cancer research. All money raised for this fund will support pediatric brain cancer research. In 2012, CureSearch expects to raise more than $10 million through philanthropic contributions.
Event Date/Time
Wednesday, October 24, 2012. Check-in/Registration at 7PM, run at 8PM.
Event Distance
5K (3.1 miles)
Location
Entirely on City Campus – Start/Finish on Selleck Green space
Registration Information
All registrations made by October 14th at 11:59PM will be guaranteed a t-shirt. All others will receive shirts while supplies last. All runners will receive free glowsticks.
$10: Online student registration
$15: Online non-student registration
$15: Day of registration for all runners
Additional Donation
Registrants can choose to donate additional money to Team Jack by entering in a raffle for a football signed by Rex Burkhead or a football signed by the Husker football team. Each ticket will cost $5, and tickets will be available on the day of the run.
To register for the run go to http://go.unl.edu/jackolanternjog
More details at: http://go.unl.edu/jackolanternjog