NF Walk and 5K Run for Children's Tumor Foundation

Holmdel Park Hosts Walk to Help Battle Children's

Debilitating Disorder

Monmouth County Community Joins National Cause to Fund Neurofibromatosis Research through the Children's Tumor Foundation         

Holmdel, NJ, Aug. 24, 2012 -- Local individuals and families from across the region, will come together on Sunday morning, October 14th, 2012 at Holmdel Park to raise awareness and funds for treatment of neurofibromatosis (NF). All proceeds from the NF Walk will support the Children’s Tumor Foundation’s medical research, patient support, and public education programs. 

“This is a great opportunity for local area residents to raise public awareness of NF, and help secure critical funding for the cutting edge research that benefits the fields of cancer, genetics, heart disease, and learning disabilities," said event organizer John McCarthy of Holmdel who serves on the national board of directors of the Foundation. "It is a great chance for Holmdel and the surrounding community to show what we can do to help a great cause and the hundreds of families in Monmouth County living with NF.  It will also give people from all around the State of New Jersey a chance to enjoy the day at Holmdel Park and hopefully stay afterwards to enjoy historic Longstreet Farm and all our area has to offer.”

The event will include a walk, a 5k run, a “stroller derby” for families with small children, snacks, refreshments, kids races, and fun activities throughout the morning.  Kid's activities will include face-painting, balloon decorating, cupcake decorating, limbo contest, hula hoops, kids races and more!

NF is a progressive disorder that causes tumors to grow on nerves throughout the body. It affects millions of people worldwide and is more prevalent than cystic fibrosis, Duchenne muscular dystrophy, and Huntington's disease combined. The disorder can lead to deafness, blindness, bone abnormalities, learning disabilities, and cancer, but NF research is shedding new light on those and other complications as the Foundation searches for effective treatments for neurofibromatosis.  

“Parents of kids living with NF, like families throughout Monmouth County, have proven time and again that they will go to the ends of the earth and do anything to find treatments for their child. If their passion alone could fund NF research, this debilitating disorder would have ceased to exist years ago,” said Traceann Adams, Director of the NF Walk Program at the Children’s Tumor Foundation. “Events like the NF Walk serve as great opportunities to increase awareness about neurofibromatosis and raise funds to find treatments for those affected.”

8:00 AM Check-in | 9:30 AM 5K Run start | 9:45 AM Walk start | 10:30 AM Kids’ Races | 11:00 AM Awards

For more information about the October 14th, 2012 NF Walk at Holmdel Park, please visit www.nfwalk.org/NJ which also provides the opportunity to register for the walk, the 5k, the children’s races, or to volunteer.

Cost: $20 for adults, $5 for kids 4-10, free for children under 4 years old.

About Children’s Tumor Foundation
The Children's Tumor Foundation is a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit organization that is dedicated to improving the health and well-being of the millions of people worldwide living with neurofibromatosis (NF), a term for three distinct disorders: NF1, NF2 and schwannomatosis. NF causes tumors to grow on nerves throughout the body and can lead to blindness, bone abnormalities, cancer, deafness, disfigurement, learning disabilities, and excruciating and disabling pain. NF is under-recognized and underdiagnosed yet affects more people than cystic fibrosis, Duchenne muscular dystrophy, and Huntington’s disease combined. The Children’s Tumor Foundation funds critical research to find treatments for NF. In addition to benefitting those who live with neurofibromatosis, this research is shedding new light on several forms of cancer, brain tumors, bone abnormalities, and learning disabilities, ultimately benefiting the broader community. For more information, please visit www.ctf.org .

Volunteers and school groups encouraged.