Miles For Hope Hosts Brain Tumor Awareness Walk to Raise Funds For Duke University

CLEARWATER, FL, August 06, 2011 (Press-News.org) Miles For Hope, a 501 (c) 3 non-profit organization dedicated to funding cutting-edge brain tumor research, will hold its Moving Towards a Cure 5K Brain Tumor Awareness Run/Walk on Saturday, October 22, 2011 at 9 am at the Fred G. Bond Metro Park in Cary, NC. Portion of proceeds will fund brain tumor research for Duke University's brain tumor immunology program.

"It has been quite frustrating to see the same vaccine that saved my life, and the lives of others, unavailable to those battling this devastating disease," said Robert (Bob) Gibbs, co-founder of Miles For Hope and a seven-year brain cancer survivor. "Through our Moving Towards a Cure events, we can ensure that more people have access to the same treatment." According to Gibbs, conventional treatments over the last two decades have only been able to extend the median survival rate by approximately two weeks. "Most organizations in the country typically focus on chemotherapy and radiation which, in my opinion, do not yield the same effectiveness as I am seeing with the addition of the vaccine."

Miles For Hope has recently partnered with Accelerated Brain Cancer Cure (ABC2) and the Stephen M. Coffman Charitable Trust to fund a $100,000 research grant at the University of California Los Angeles (UCLA) to begin the clinical trial, Optimizing Dendritic Cell Vaccination for Low-Grade Glioma Patients. This is the first trial of its kind for patients that have been diagnosed with low-grade gliomas, a common form of brain cancer.

Brain tumors affect over 200,000 people each year; one person every three minutes in the United States. They are also the leading cause of solid tumor cancer deaths in children under the age of 20. It is estimated that over 600,000 people are battling a brain tumor in the United States. In addition, brain tumors are the second leading cause of cancer death in males under the age of 29 and ranked fifth as the cause of cancer death in female adults age 20-39.

The 5K event is open to all ages. Online registration is encouraged at http://www.BrainTumorEvents.org/Raleigh. Same-day registration opens at 8 am, event begins at 9 am. Registration for adults is $20. Fee increases $5 after October 7. Registration is free for children under 6 years. Participants can walk/run individually or form a team. Volunteers are welcome and needed. Post-event celebration to follow the race and includes an award presentation to remember those battling brain cancer as well as those who lost their battle.

Fred G. Bond Metro Park is located at 801 High House Road, Cary, NC 27513. Parking is available on site for all supporters. For more information, please visit the website, http://www.BrainTumorEvents.org/Raleigh or call 727-781-HOPE (4673).

Miles for Hope, Inc. is a non-profit organization dedicated to funding cutting-edge brain tumor research, raising awareness of brain tumors and providing travel assistance to brain cancer patients enrolled in clinical trials.