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ABC 7 Gibbons 5K Chip Timed Run, 5K Fun Run and 3K Walk is being held on Thursday, June 18th, 2015 at 6:25 pm Grant Park, Chicago.

For the last 21 years, the ABC7 Gibbons 5K Run and 3K Walk has proven itself as a landmark event in the Chicagoland area and is a major fundraiser for the Leukemia Research Foundation.

Each year on the third Thursday evening in June, more than 2,000 people gather along Chicago’s downtown lakefront to run, walk and raise funds in search of a cure for all blood cancers.

The event consists of a chip timed 5K Run, a 5K Fun Run and a 3K Walk. A fun filled party immediately follows the run/walk. Participants enjoy food, refreshments and live music, and have the opportunity to visit the many partner tents on-site. This creates a great atmosphere for the participants to interact.

A special Heroes of Hope tent dedicated to honoring patients and Survivors provides an opportunity for those touched by blood cancers to gather.

An awards ceremony begins at 7:30 where the top three male and female runners will receive a commemorative medal. Medals will also be handed out to the top 3 male and female runners in each age category.

The event has proven #itsmorethanjustarace! www.gibbons5k.com

All proceeds benefit the Leukemia Research Foundation(LRF). The LRF, which is headquartered in Wilmette, Ill., is dedicated to funding research and providing support to people touched by blood cancers. The Foundation’s mission: the Leukemia Research Foundation is dedicated to conquering all blood cancers by funding research into their causes and cures, and enriching the quality of life of those touched by these diseases. For more than 68 years, thousands of volunteers and 24 chapters have helped the Foundation raise more than $60 million to help fund research specifically targeting aspiring, eager, and innovative scientists and physicians around the world. Major LRF programs include: •funding worldwide scientific research — each year, the LRF strives to give in excess of $1 million in research grants to scientists around the world. •providing patient financial assistance — in addition, the LRF disburses hundreds of thousands of dollars annually to patients and families struggling under the financial burden of a blood cancer diagnosis. The financial assistance and support programs of the LRF are available to patients and families who reside in Illinois or within a 100-mile radius of Chicago. Currently more than 600 patients and families are enrolled. •providing educational support services for patients and their families — the LRF holds an annual Town Hall Meeting (group education sessions led by a panel of blood cancer experts) which attracts hundreds of attendees. Additionally, the LRF hosts a Spanish version of the Town Hall Meeting for patients and families who may be limited to resources as a result of a language barrier. The LRF also hosts a Treatment Options for Blood Cancer Patients Conference, featuring patient information about these procedures, attended by hundreds. Further, the LRF receives numerous calls on a daily basis from patients looking for resources and educational materials.

As a result of these vital programs, not only are countless lives served by the Foundation, but with the development of new treatments resulting from LRF funded research, countless lives are also saved. Visit www.allbloodcancers.org or call 847.424.0600 for more information.