Cancer to 5K Program Growing

Cancer to 5K Participants After the Baltimore Run Festival

This year our Cancer to 5K (Cto5K) program expanded into Baltimore!

USAF Level 1 Coach, Michelle Prieto (who is now a UCF staff memeber), led the Baltimore Cto5K team of 4 along with 3 volunteer sherpas (Adam Bachman, Jerry Prieto & Erin Albright) in weekly training sessions at Lake Montebello, the Baltimore waterfront, and Herring Run Park, in preparation for the 5k challenge. 3 members, Johann Bachman, Beth Sherring, and UCF staff member Elizabeth Saylor completed the program and successfully finished the Baltimore Running Festival 5k. The 4th member could not race due to her doctor finding a malignant mass in her quad.  Please keep her in your thoughts as she continues to battle against cancer!

Howard County Cto5K team in its third year also had 2 members complete the 5k including Jennifer Baxter Williams and Suzanne Ludicke. This year’s participation saw a survivor mark their one-year anniversary of their cancer diagnosis by completing the race cancer-free.  We had a childhood survivor, a breast cancer survivor and 4 amazing coaches including Jay Herdson, Vickie Liu, Alonzo Davis, and KC Miller from Mady & Mules. Our volunteer support was tremendous which consisted of Team Fight Members: Dane Jeeter, Laura Allred, Aimee Becker, Patrick Sheridan & Kim Sheridan (who is also a UCF Board Member); UCF Friends: Barbara “Babs” Jeeter, Jennifer Trice, Amy Babst (who is also a Cto5K Alum). We are so thankful to our strong volunteer support who contribute directly to the success of the program.

Cto5K Nova/DC team is coached by Head Coach – Bob Shaver and 3 Assistant Coaches/volunteers – Colleen Cannon, Andrea Hampton, and Jennifer McRobbie. The team members consist of:  Joni Dowling, Craig Lustig, Esther Coleman, Phyllis Kimmel, Jennifer Wealer, & Lisa Davis.

This season, 6 team members and 1″ at home” team member (Iowa) trained to overcome nagging injuries with the support of a huge volunteer network. The team concluded their season on Sunday, November 6, at the National Race Against the Odds.

Cto5K looks forward to expanding all of our programs by guiding more cancer patients and survivors back to the fundamentals of movement and camaraderie during or after treatment.  We want to help any patient currently undergoing treatment or just out of treatment get their health back one step at a time!