Thousands participate in St. Jude’s annual Walk/Run

MEMPHIS, Tenn. — This month is Childhood Cancer Awareness Month.

In honor of all the children who have faced cancer in the eye, thousands of people gathered at Tom Lee Park for the St. Jude Walk/Run .

"I'm running for my little cousin," participant Cameron Green said. "She passed away a few years ago. She was a St. Jude patient at one point and St. Jude showed a lot of love to our family."

Organizers say the event's purpose is to raise money to help support the lifesaving mission of St. Jude which is to find cures and save children.

Children like Quincy.

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"He was diagnosed with Wilms tumor in 2018 and from the moment we got that phone call and was told he had to be at St. Jude the next day, it was life-changing," Quincy's mother Karla said.

"I could only pray to God to help me through this," Quincy said.

His mom said at first, they were unsure of what the future held but she said that all changed when they walked through the front doors of the hospital.

"They made me feel comfortable, loving and I really felt at home," Quincy said. "My second home to me."

The event is slightly different than the St. Jude Marathon which is up to 26.2 miles long.

The walk/run is only 3.1 miles.

"This is also more of a family event," said President and CEO of ALSAC Richard C. Shadyac Jr. said. "We encouraged everyone to bring their kids here."

There are 40 other walk/runs happening across the county.

"It's heartwarming just to know the amount of people that come out here and just come and support St. Jude and help these kids who have cancer," St. Jude patient Charlie said.

Charlie said after more than a dozen rounds of chemotherapy and two major surgeries, he's been cancer-free for three years.

"St. Jude spent $2 million on Charlie's treatment and so, the fact that people come out here and support St. Jude and the city of Memphis continues to support St. Jude, it means everything to us," Charlie's mother Jessica said.

St. Jude's Walk/Run has raised more than $7 million over the years.