In just a few weeks, Margaret Fenlon will lace up her boots and start training a team of hikers from Rochester to trek 25.5 miles on the Superior Hiking Trail in just one day. It isn’t the first time she’s done something big to fight children’s cancer – she’s participated in the CureSearch Ultimate Hike several times. Since last year’s event, she’s also donated bone marrow to a cancer patient, all because she watched a friend’s son fight leukemia.
“My friend, who lost his son to cancer, was trying to put together a hike team in Rochester. While I’d never done something this challenge before, I felt it was a good cause and something I could do to support my good friends,” said Margaret. This year she will co-coach the team, alongside Steve Dickes, Will’s father, and the two hope to recruit the largest team to date.
The funds raised by Team Rochester support lifesaving research driven by CureSearch for Children’s Cancer, an organization that focuses on breaking down barriers that prevent research progress to find less-toxic treatments for children’s cancer. Although Team Rochester has raised $75,000 to help end children’s cancer in the past three years, Margaret knew she could do more for cancer patients.
“The same friends’ son needed a bone marrow transplant and a mutual friend organized a drive to get people in the registry. I’d been on it for six years when I got an email saying I was a potential match. There were blood tests, injections to promote stem cell production and a very long day at the donor center. I feel so honored that I could do this for someone.”
To learn how you can join Margaret’s team for this year’s Superior Hiking Trail Ultimate Hike, join the Ultimate Hike Team at an information meeting on Wednesday, May 23 at Scheels at Apache Mall at 7 p.m., or Thursday, May 24 at 6:30 p.m. at the Rochester Athletic Club. For more information, or to RSVP, please visit www.ultimatehike.org/sht18.
In its eighth year, CureSearch’s Cancer’s Ultimate Hike is the only national hiking fundraiser to fight children’s cancer, the number one disease killer of children. For more information about the Ultimate Hike visit ultimatehike.org.
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