The DIPG Awareness Run on May 25, 2015 marked the beginning of the first celebrated DIPG Awareness Week in the State of California. Declared in June of 2014 by the California State Assembly, thanks to the work of Assemblyman Scott Wilk, a national statement and achievement was made for DIPG, and for pediatric cancer awareness. Pennsylvania followed suit with Feb. 22 declared as DIPG Awareness Day in Pennsylvania, and several cities in the United States also followed suit this year. Jack’s Angels Foundation’s President, Janet Demeter, is encouraging the public to raise our voices in support of a National DIPG Awareness Day to the White House.
The runner wears angel wings covered with over 100 ribbons to acknowledge some of the many DIPG children who have passed on, and those currently fighting, to symbolize the fact that currently, there are no survivors for DIPG, and these children’s lives are very real and precious to many families and friends across the country. It is a run, rather than a walk, because historically runners are messengers, and the messages carried are of essential nature. Here the names of all the children are recited, including 8 names of those children who died in the week prior to the run.
A final acknowledgement finishes the event for the first day of California’s DIPG Awareness Week. “I did have to walk for about 1/4 mi,” said Demeter, Jack’s Angels runner, “the wind gusts in the middle of the Valley make the sign I carry a veritable sail! Just too much force for me to successfully carry it through the changeable winds at that point.” The 11.1 mi run stretched from Canyon Country Park across Soledad Canyon Rd., until it changes to Valencia Blvd., which continues out to the Old Road, and up to finish near the entrance to 6 Flags Magic Mountain.
“I think I’ll do it again this Sunday, the last day of DIPG Awareness Week!” Demeter hopes that next year, she will be joined by other runners, “…at least to help with the signs! Thank would be great!” Viewers of the videos are asked to tweet the President and the First Lady during DIPG Awareness Week, May 25-31, for a National DIPG Awareness Day.
