Nurse Hikes 21 Miles for Children’s Cancer Research

For Immediate Release
Contact:
Jennifer Murphy
Regional Manager, Development
(240) 235-2211 | jennifer.murphy@curesearch.org

Philadelphia, PA – Cara Simon is a pediatric nurse practitioner at the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia. She loves her job and she is passionate about caring for children.

Cara goes the extra mile, literally, for kids who need help. Cara hikes 21-miles in one day on the Dolly Sods Trail. The event, called the Ultimate Hike, is sponsored by CureSearch for Children’s Cancer.

“When I tell people where I work, the response I get is, ‘That must be so sad.’ My response is it can be, but for the most part, it’s not. They are children first and a child with cancer second. The cancer diagnosis doesn’t and shouldn’t define them.”

As she takes step after step, Cara thinks about the many children she has cared for over the years. If they could tolerate the things that she had asked them to do, usually with a smile on their face, she could 21 miles.

Cara Simon, left, at the start of the Dolly Sods trail

After meeting such a diverse group of people and learning their personal stories about why they hiked, Cara now holds a special place for the Hike close to her heart. And she never forgets the real reason why she and so many others are hiking – the children.

“We have made great strides in treating childhood cancer, but until the cure rate is 100%, there is still a lot of work to be done. CureSearch funds much-needed research to advance finding a cure.”

Cara Simon, at the Dolly Sods trail finish line

People interested in joining Cara on the Ultimate Hike should visit www.ultimatehike.org/ds17 to learn more about the event. Information sessions will be held in person on the following days and locations:

• Wednesday, March 8, 6:30 PM, 200 W Ridge Pike Ste 115, Conshohocken, PA 19428
• Thursday, March 9, 6:30 PM, 2300 Fashion Center Blvd, Newark, DE 19702
• Friday, March 10, 7:00 PM, Mercer Mall, 3371 US-1, Lawrence Township, NJ 08648
• Saturday, March 11, 11:00 AM, REI 161 Town Square Pl, King of Prussia, PA 19406

Ultimate Hike has been providing participants with awe-inspiring event weekends and the opportunity to help children with cancer. Hikers are provided with 12 weeks of training with a coach, lodging, expert trail support, and much more. The training is appropriate for all level of hiking experience and fitness.

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CureSearch for Children’s Cancer

CureSearch for Children’s Cancer, a national nonprofit organization based in Bethesda, Md, works to end childhood cancer by driving targeted and innovative research with measurable results in an accelerated time frame. CureSearch is building a $10 million research pipeline to aggressively drive pediatric research grants and clinical trials that have a higher chance of becoming cures for children’s cancer without the toxic side effects that plague current treatment options.

For more information, follow CureSearch on Twitter @curesearch or join the conversation on Facebook at www.facebook.com/curesearch.