A record-setting run

A record 3,000 participants and 200 volunteers took part in the Fourth Annual Hoosiers Outrun Cancer Saturday, raising over $30,000 for Bloomington Hospital's Olcott Center for Cancer Education.\nAlong with collecting money, the event also raised awareness of the services and support available for the many people touched by cancer.\n"It's such a great opportunity to give support to all those presently going through cancer, and to honor those who went through it in the past," said Peggy McCorvie, a cancer survivor. \nMcCorvie, who wore a bright red survivor shirt, walked the race with her granddog, Jinx. Not only did McCorvie walk the race for herself, but also in remembrance of her parents, Mike and Helen Mize, who both faced cancer during their lives.\nMcCorvie was diagnosed with breast cancer in 1999 and underwent surgery, chemotherapy and radiation to rid her body of the disease. She described being diagnosed with cancer as devastating. \n"I knew a lot about what was going on because I'm a nurse, but until you actually walk down that road you have no idea," McCorvie said. \nWhat started as an idea from Karen Knight, wife of former IU basketball coach Bob Knight, has become the largest 5K run-walk in the history of Monroe County. People from Bedford, Chicago and even California have come to Bloomington to support the event.\n"We want to make sure the Olcott Center continues to flourish, and provide free services for people who have been affected by cancer," said Debbie Sibbitt, volunteer coordinator.\nThe Olcott Center mainly provides cancer research and support, including education. Through support groups at the Olcott Center, McCorvie said she met people who she was able to form special bonds with, and later come to an event like Hoosiers Outrun Cancer and rejoice.\n"You used to correlate cancer with death and that's not the case anymore," McCorvie said. "There are more and more survivors all the time."\nThe race, which also offered a one mile family fun walk and a one mile children's run, began in front of Assembly Hall, and was altered this year to end on the 50-yard-line in Memorial Stadium. The use of the stadium made the event more festive, according to Sibbitt, wife of head football coach Gerry DiNardo. Runners and walkers ran through an inflatable football helmet to enter the field and cross the finish line.\nRecent IU graduate Kate Ridge and six family members walked the race for the first time in honor of her grandfather, Ralph Ridge, who is in remission from prostate cancer. She said going through her grandfather's battle with cancer was stressful for the whole family.\n"You didn't know what was going to happen," Ridge said. "But the family kind of bonded together and created a big support system, so that was good." \nRidge said she feels it's important for people to participate in the race to help fund the large amount of research that goes on. \nMcCorvie said she hopes the race will raise awareness and people will begin to become more aware of how they can watch for signs of cancer so they don't have to go through what she did. \nParticipants in the 5k showed support for cancer victims and survivors by wearing names, pictures and written messages on walk shirts. Spectators supported participants and cancer victims with signs listing team names, including elementary schools, ROTC, and Team Jenny, formed in remembrance of IU student Jenny Suhr, who died of brain cancer in December 1999.\nOn the sidelines, groups cheered on the participants, including sorority Alpha Gamma Delta, which played music. Attendees were also given the opportunity to place a pendant in the Field of Flags located outside of Memorial Stadium in honor or memory of a loved one. \nWinners of the race were divided into two categories: overall male and female and overall cancer survivor male and female and were awarded $100 gift certificates. Overall winners were Timothy Grieves and Kerry Schukalor and for cancer survivors were Will Hafner and Carleen Darazio. \n-- Contact staff writer Hannah Schroder at hschrode@indiana.edu.