Nebraska’s 8th annual Lymphoma Walk will be held Saturday, April 22, at Mahoney State Park. The fundraising event, which is hosted by the Lymphoma Research Foundation, will begin at 10 a.m. with registration at 9 a.m. at the park pavilion.
To participate
Those interested in participating can start a team, join a team, sign up as an individual or make a donation, by going to the event website. For more information, contact Martin Bast at (402) 559-6203.
Strollers and friendly, leashed pets are welcome. A free picnic will be held for all attendees following the walk.
The Lymphoma Walk is a 5K, fun-filled, non-competitive event that offers individuals and teams an opportunity to walk to support those whose lives have been touched by lymphoma, a cancer of the lymph nodes. About 450 new cases of lymphoma are diagnosed in Nebraska each year.
Proceeds from the walk will benefit Nebraskans through research grants and patient services. To date, $550,000 has been raised through walk participants and sponsors.
Honorary chair of the walk is Missy Givens, of Fremont. She has been treated twice for non-Hodgkin lymphoma, once at 25 years old in 2005 at stage III while pregnant with her first child, Landon, now 11, and the second time with stage IV about a month after her daughter’s birth, Kinley, now 9 years old. Despite receiving chemotherapy while pregnant with Landon, he was born healthy.
Three years ago, Givens’ lymphoma came back, but it is slow-growing, so she and her physician are currently doing the watch-and-wait approach until she may need treatment.
Her walk team, “Missy’s Misfits,” will join hundreds of other walkers and teams.
“I’m so honored to be honorary chair,” Givens said. “It’s such a fun way to join fellow survivors and loved ones as they celebrate and raise funds. I hope that my lymphoma journey can bring strength, comfort, encouragement, and most importantly hope to others in their fight. Everyday is a gift.”
Lymphoma is a type of blood cancer that occurs when white blood cells that help protect the body from infection and disease begin behaving abnormally. Lymphomas are the seventh most common form of cancer and cause more than 300,000 deaths each year.
Mahoney State Park is located just off I-80 at exit 426, between Omaha and Lincoln. Vehicles need to purchase a $6 park permit at the park gate.
Missy is an inspiration for many!! Truly a gift from God.