Highlights of the 11th Annual Keepin’ It Renal Global Run/Walk 2024
- April 06, 2024
Our 11th Annual Keepin’ It Renal Global Run/Walk proved to be a resounding success. The inaugural event took place in Pasadena, California on March 16th, organized by Dr. Maricela Rodriguez-Gutierrez. Approximately 100 individuals gathered at Brookside Park to honor the memory of Dr. Ana Miranda Maldonado, who valiantly battled renal medullary carcinoma (RMC) until her passing on July 7, 2023.
On March 23, 2024, the main walk, orchestrated by Ritchie Johnson in remembrance of her son Chris, who lost his battle with renal medullary carcinoma on September 20, 2012, took place. The event, held at the picturesque Sugar Land Memorial Park in Sugar Land, Texas, attracted participants from various states across the USA. We honored other individuals who lost their battle to RMC and paid tribute to individuals diagnosed with RMC who are either cancer-free or progressing well. Our esteemed medical advisors, Dr. Nizar Tannir and Dr. Pavlos Msaouel, provided updates on clinical trials and their progress in research. Thanks to the generosity of our sponsors and donors, we were able to donate $5,000 to UT MD Anderson to further RMC research.
Gabrielle Hayward-Johnson, Chris’ daughter, delivered a touching speech about coping with the loss of a parent at a tender age and managing her grief. Gabrielle, who was 6 years old at the time of her father’s passing, shared Chris’ plea while in ICU to live so that he could attend her high school graduation. Although Chris won’t be physically present at her graduation, his spirit will undoubtedly be with her. The Chris “CJ” Johnson Foundation, Inc. awarded Gabrielle a $5,000 scholarship. She plans to pursue Neuroscience at the University of Pittsburgh. Attendees had the opportunity to meet and listen to the inspiring stories of several individuals diagnosed with RMC who made the trip to Sugar Land, Texas for the event.
Simultaneously, an organized walk took place in Elk Grove, California, coordinated by Ms. Dorothy Osourji in memory of her beloved daughter, Linda Amaka Osuorji, who passed away on 12/13/2022.
Two walks were held on March 30th in Crete, an island in Greece, and Anchialos, a village in Greece. Both events, organized by Maria Vasilou and Lois Vlahava in memory of Fennina-Aikaterini, who passed away on April 24, 2022, were highly successful and a great way to end kidney cancer awareness month.
Reflecting on the triumph of this year’s event, with over 700 participants worldwide, we are deeply moved by the collective effort and compassion shown by our sponsors, volunteers, participants, and supporters. Together, we are forging a brighter future for those impacted by RMC, fostering hope, resilience, and healing.