Girls Run to Fight Cancer

THE WOODLANDS, Texas -- 1,479,350 is a large number. This number is significantly large when associated with the description next to it, which reads: “The number of new cancer cases expected to be diagnosed in 2009.”

562,340 is also a large number, especially because it is the number of predicted cancer-related deaths in 2009 alone.

One is not a large number. One is small and insignificant. Or is it? When that one is one person fighting to help cure cancer and save thousands of lives, it is. Even if that one person is a child.

Children can contribute to the struggle to end cancer - and girls all over The Woodlands are doing just that.

Girls Run, founded by Brooke Baugh and Katie Cromer in July 2007, is a growing program created specifically to raise money for cancer prevention.

Girls that join the program do not have to have known someone with cancer, but most that join have come in contact with a cancer-stricken person in some way.

“My grandfather had cancer,” 11-year-old participant Ava Cardone said. When Cardone joined the program only two years ago, there were only around 35 girls involved.

That number soon climbed to 50 and then to 70. Most recently, at Camp Girls Run, the program reached its highest participancy level yet at 88 girls, totaling 300 girls overall.

There is a good reason for the rapidly growing numbers for the group besides the positive word-of-mouth and few flyers.

Baugh, the main leader of the group (since co-founder Cromer recently moved), has an inspiration. She did not start Girls Run on a whim. She had a reason. And that reason was her mother.

Baugh’s mother passed away of cancer, just like the 562,340 that are predicted to pass away this year. And like most, Baugh did not deal well with the passing of a loved one well.

However, as a former personal trainer, Baugh knew that she had to do something to get back into life and back into running. After hearing many inspirational speakers, she knew just what to do. She would still run, just as she had always loved, but she would help the cancer cause while doing so.

And that is why her inspiration is her mother (in memory and honor of her) and her two daughters (in hopes that they can help create a world where they will not have to deal with cancer and, at the same time, teaching them to be strong women).

“It is the most healthy way to grieve for my mom. In some ways, she’s still part of my life,” Baugh said.

It seems as if her motivation and determination has rubbed off on all of the girls of Girls Run.

They recently participated in Coins for Cancer and gather together $1,700 worth of coins.

Two of the girls, including Baugh’s younger daughter, donated their hair to Locks of Love.

There are many bake sales hosted by Girls Run that are highly successful and the girls also figure out ways to fundraise on their own.

Cardone even decided to write a state representative in hopes of passing a law to ban smoking in all public facilities in Texas. She also created a Smoke Free Contract for her fellow Girls Run peers to sign. While the Smoke Free Texas campaign was not a success (the attorney informed Cardone that the campaign was already in action and did not pass at that current session), Cardone still has hope that the Smoke Free Contract she created with her friends will become law.

However, while the Girls Run girls do participate in many different activities and programs to help raise money for cancer, they are called “Girls Run” for a reason. The group runs.

Practices are held twice a week (Tuesday and Saturday) and they go on cancer-related runs. The fall session begins August 18 and their hard work can be shown when they participate in the Hit the Trail 5K on Oct. 31.

While there is work involved, there is no doubt that these kids are enjoying every second of it. Most of the girls are 8-12 years old, but there are children as young as 6 and as old as 15.

But no matter what the age, the girls’ enthusiasm shows. So far, Girls Run has raised over $100,000. A large amount of this money is donated to the Lance Armstrong Foundation.

However, since it is a non-profit organization, they need some help to keep the group at the level it has reached. They do this by holding the annual Night in Napa, which was highly successful last year and is expected to gain an even bigger profit this year, when they host it on Sept. 19. They also have different companies sponsor the group and are always looking for more sponsors.

As far as non-financial help, Baugh has help from mother volunteers. Girls Run has stretched from just a girls’ program to a group that brings different family members, young and old, together. Some mothers even run with the children.

Baugh, along with the mothers, know that even a young girl’s voice is important. They hope to one day end cancer forever. And while that is a lofty goal, everything they do brings the world one step closer to being cancer free.

So one day the 1,479,350 predicted to be diagnosed will turn into zero.

And one day, that 562,340 predicted to die in one year will get to live full lives.

And that one that fought to end cancer will know that they did something to save millions of lives.