DURHAM, N.C. (WNCN) — The Duke men’s basketball team hosted the 4th Annual “Dribble For Victory Over Cancer” fundraising event Saturday.
“We’re dribbling a mile to defeat pediatric cancer,” said Duke head coach Jon Scheyer.
Scheyer, other Duke staff and students, along with Duke Children’s Hospital, the V-Foundation for Cancer Research, and the Pediatric Cancer Research Foundation, teamed up with young cancer fighters, their families, and hundreds of other folks to raise money for groundbreaking pediatric cancer research and treatment at Duke Children’s Hospital.
“Ultimately, at the end of the day, you look around and you see the kids, and that’s why you’re doing this. And, just their strength, their courage. It’s, it’s admirable,” Scheyer said. “To have an opportunity to celebrate them and do this for them means a lot.”
“It’s so cool, ” said Harper Harrell.
Harrell is a cancer survivor and fighter and one of the honorary “Dribble For Victory” captains.
“It means a lot to be here and to be able to travel and see so many of my friends that I haven’t seen in so Long and see so many survivors and people who are doing so well. Don’t ever give up.”
While research has led to significant improvement in pediatric patient outcomes, according to the Pediatric Cancer Research Foundation, cancer remains the leading cause of death by disease for children 19 years and younger, with more than 15,000 new diagnoses in the U.S. each year.
“It’s an underfunded area,” said Rebecca Erquitt, V-Foundation Assistant Communications Director.
Researchers are in critical need of funding to improve and customize treatments for young patients and their growing bodies.
“I really love coming every year,” Harrell added. “ I think it’s my favorite Duke basketball event.”
Duke’s “Dribble For Victory Over Cancer” organizers say all of the event proceeds will directly support pediatric cancer research at Duke Children’s.
“We are shooting for $100,000,” Erquitt said. “The more money we raise, the more lifesaving research gets funded and it stays right here in Durham and the local community.”
“It’s super amazing,” Harper exclaimed!
Since its start in 2008 at UCLA, and spread to other campuses across the country, Dribble for Victory Over Cancer has raised more than $2.5 million to support groundbreaking childhood cancer research.