Weili Sun’s parents lost their first daughter, Weiwei, to leukemia when she was five years old.

“They rarely talked about her. Forty years later, when they learned that I planned to hike 27 miles in honor of my sister and to raise funds for childhood cancer research, they were ecstatic. They spent hours finding her old pictures, told me stories about how lovely and brave she was, shared their profound loss when she passed away, and let me know how proud they were that I could hike on their behalf and honor my sister,” says Weili.

Weili became a pediatric hematologist/oncologist after enjoying understanding the complex mechanism of disease and looking for new therapeutic options as a PhD student studying leukemia. She previously served as the director of pediatric leukemia at City of Hope and currently, due to her interest in research, is a full-time researcher at Janssen Pharmaceuticals.

“As a pediatric hematology/oncologist specializing in leukemia, I have cured many children and lost many children as well. Today I am a full-time researcher, working on the most cutting-edge new treatment options for the patients who need them most. I know firsthand how critical the need for increased funding is for childhood cancer research. That’s why I hike and fundraise with CureSearch.”

Weili’s first CureSearch Ultimate Hike was in 2018 and encourages people of all skill levels to join! “I am not an athletic person. The first time when I did the hike, because of the busy working schedule, I tried about 4-5 times with the coach. I was able to finish the 27-mile hike. If I can do it, everyone can do
it. I have met many friends during this event and it is a great experience!”

This year Weili is returning to the Pacific Crest Trail in September with colleagues on Team Hope. To donate to Weili’s team, click here.

To register for the 2021 Pacific Crest Trail Ultimate Hike, visit ultimatehike.org/pct

For more information about our upcoming events or to donate to the program, visit ultimatehike.org

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About CureSearch

CureSearch for Children’s Cancer works to end childhood cancer by driving targeted and innovative research with measurable results in an accelerated time frame. CureSearch focuses on advancing the strongest research out of the laboratory and into clinical trials and development, where better, less-toxic treatments can quickly help children.

For more information, visit curesearch.org, follow CureSearch on Twitter @curesearch or join the conversation on Facebook at facebook.com/curesearch.

The post Pediatric Oncologist Treks The Pacific Crest Trail To Honor Sister’s Memory appeared first on CureSearch for Children's Cancer.

Katie Gochenour and Heather Sours are sisters and crusaders for childhood cancer research. Since 2015, they have been walking and hiking in CureSearch fundraising events in honor of Katie’s daughter, Chloe.  

In 2014, Chloe was just five years old when she was diagnosed with Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia (ALL), a cancer of the blood that starts in the bone marrow and spreads to the bloodstream. That’s when she started two and a half years of chemotherapy treatment at the University of Virginia. 

“We are very thankful that Chloe is now a happy, active twelve-year-old. She is pure spunk and pure sass, balled up into an adorable smile,” shared her mother Katie. “So many have not been as lucky. Since our cancer journey began, we have met many wonderful families who have lost their children or whose cancer has returned.”  

“Before Chloe became ill, I didn’t know the research stats. The lack of government funding is so appalling. Americans spend more on potato chips than we spend on children’s cancer research. So our kids’ health relies on organizations like CureSearch to find the treatments and cures they need to survive.”  

“With CureSearch, I know where the money is going and how it is helping. Our family’s passion is to support them, so they can fund the research and clinical trials that will make children’s cancer a thing of the past. So far, we have raised $82,000 and our lifetime goal is to raise $250,000.”  

This year, at the 2021 Ultimate Hike Shenandoah Valley, sisters Katie and Heather will be joined on the trail by the next generation of cancer crusaders—their daughters (and cousins) Chloe and Lauren. Together, Team Chloe will hike 21 miles on May 15. 

“We hope that everyone will join us and support an Ultimate Hike team this year. It couldn’t be more important.” 

ALL is the most common children’s cancer, accounting for 25% of all cancers in children under the age of 15. There are more than 3,000 new cases of ALL diagnosed in children like Chloe in the United States each year. Learn more about active CureSearch research projects to find a cure.   

About CureSearch 

CureSearch for Children’s Cancer works to end childhood cancer by driving targeted and innovative research with measurable results in an accelerated time frame. CureSearch focuses on advancing the strongest research out of the laboratory and into clinical trials and development, where better, less-toxic treatments can quickly help children. 

For more information, visit curesearch.org, follow CureSearch on Twitter @curesearch or join the conversation on Facebook at facebook.com/curesearch. 

The post Mothers and Daughters take on the Ultimate Hike together to support Childhood Cancer Research appeared first on CureSearch for Children's Cancer.