Hoosiers turn out in swarms for charity run

As floods of people went to watch the one-mile kid’s run at the Hoosiers Outrun Cancer event on Saturday, one group stayed put.

They were Team Geno, a team of runners formed in memory of a family member, Geno McAfee, who died from brain cancer.

“He fought the battle that most people fight with cancer from March of 2001 until 2005,” said Sarah McAfee, Geno’s sister. “He lived a lot longer than most people. He was still alive the first race we ran. It’s a great thing to get all these people who have been fighting the same battle and a lot of people struggling with that same kind of loss of a loved one.”

In recognition of Breast Cancer Awareness Month, members of the IU Foundation partnered with various businesses across Bloomington to sponsor Hoosiers Outrun Cancer, an event aimed at bringing digital mammogram technology to Bloomington.

Geno McAfee was a state champion wrestler from Bloomington High School North, and he wrestled at IU for four years.

“He was just a healthy, athletic, good-looking guy,” Sarah McAfee said. “It’s a real tragedy.”

Many schools and associations, including Bloomington North, Bloomington High School South and the IU Alumni Association, along with members of the IU women’s basketball squad, participated in the event. IU President Michael McRobbie was also present. He said he believes the event does a great job of increasing awareness and was delighted the University could support it.

“As my wife said,” McRobbie said, “we lost both of our first spouses to cancer, and we both have three children. We know what it’s like to go through that, so we want to be as supportive as we can to all those people who are contributing their time and resources to it.”

Women’s basketball coach Felisha Legette-Jack spoke at the event, and the band Straight, No Chaser sang the national anthem. The event included the 5K run and walk, one-mile kid’s run and one-mile family walk.

Legette-Jack gave an inspirational speech, telling the crowd that one person at a time, they could overcome this disease.

“I can tell you, passionately, with all of my faith and all of my desire,” Legette-Jack said, “that just one day, we’re not going to see a 6-year-old have cancer. One day, we’re not going to have someone take our breath away, because we’re going to fight.”

As for Team Geno, they went in memory of their lost loved one, and gained some memories in return.

“He was a great person,” McAfee said, “and a person we want to celebrate and remember.”