Weili Sun’s parents lost their first daughter, Weiwei, to leukemia when she was five years old.
“They rarely talked about her. Forty years later, when they learned that I planned to hike 27 miles in honor of my sister and to raise funds for childhood cancer research, they were ecstatic. They spent hours finding her old pictures, told me stories about how lovely and brave she was, shared their profound loss when she passed away, and let me know how proud they were that I could hike on their behalf and honor my sister,” says Weili.
Weili became a pediatric hematologist/oncologist after enjoying understanding the complex mechanism of disease and looking for new therapeutic options as a PhD student studying leukemia. She previously served as the director of pediatric leukemia at City of Hope and currently, due to her interest in research, is a full-time researcher at Janssen Pharmaceuticals.
“As a pediatric hematologist/oncologist specializing in leukemia, I have cured many children and lost many children as well. Today I am a full-time researcher, working on the most cutting-edge new treatment options for the patients who need them most. I know firsthand how critical the need for increased funding is for childhood cancer research. That’s why I hike and fundraise with CureSearch.”
Weili’s first CureSearch Ultimate Hike was in 2018. She encourages people of all skill levels to join! “I am not an athletic person. The first time I did the hike, because of the busy working schedule, I trained about 4-5 times with the coach. I was able to finish the 27-mile hike. If I can do it, everyone can do
it. I have met many friends during this event and it is a great experience!”
This year Weili is returning to the Pacific Crest Trail in September with colleagues on Team Hope. To donate to Weili’s team, click here.
To register for the 2021 Pacific Crest Trail Ultimate Hike, visit ultimatehike.org/pct
For more information about our upcoming events or to donate to the program, visit ultimatehike.org
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About CureSearch
CureSearch for Children’s Cancer works to end childhood cancer by driving targeted and innovative research with measurable results in an accelerated time frame. CureSearch focuses on advancing the strongest research out of the laboratory and into clinical trials and development, where better, less-toxic treatments can quickly help children.
For more information, visit curesearch.org, follow CureSearch on Twitter @curesearch or join the conversation on Facebook at facebook.com/curesearch.