Hundreds Expected At Montgomery County 5K Walk Supporting The Fight Against Lymphoma
By Tim Jimenez
PHILADELPHIA (CBS)--Hundreds of people are expected next week in Montgomery County for an annual walk to raise awareness and money in the fight against a common blood cancer.
For Jeffery Iredell, co-leader of the Philadelphia Chapter of the Lymphoma Research Foundation, this is personal.
"A little over two years ago I was diagnosed with a form of Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma," he tells KYW Newsradio.
A survivor, Iredell is one of the organizers of the 7th annual Philadelphia Lymphomathon. It is a 5K non-competitive walk happening Sunday morning, October 20 at Norristown Farm Park.
Around 600 people are expected to participate. They are survivors, like Iredell, their supporters and even those still fighting.
"We have people who do walk despite currently going through treatment," he said. "I can't stress how important it is for people to have support of, not only family members, but those who have gone through the same things they're going through today."
Last year's walks around the country brought the Foundation $1.6 million to help fund programs for those affected by the disease and for research.
"Some of which actually came back to the Philadelphia area this year in the result of a two-year grant at the University of Pennsylvania," Iredell said.
Registration is free. You can sign up online or at the event.
For more information, go to: www.lymphomathon.org/philadelphia2013