Valerie Fund Walk Gives Patients, Survivors Chance To Give Back
MORRISTOWN, N.J. (CBSNewYork) -- For the families of Valerie Fund patients, the yearly walk and 5K run in Verona Park is a chance to help the organization that is helping them get through their cancer.
"Zippy Strong is our team, and we are trying to raise as much money as we possibly can," said Jim Cimino, who has watched his 20-year-old son, Zippy, bravely battle lymphoma with the help of The Valerie Fund.
Now their entire family is giving back.
Valerie Fund Walk Gives Patients, Survivors Chance To Give Back
"We're doing events, selling 'Zippy Strong' bracelets, we're selling T-shirts, and Zippy's doing a new T-shirt with Odell Beckham," Cimino told WCBS 880's John Metaxas.
One of those T-shirts features the great catch by Beckham, the Giants wide receiver who visited Zippy in the hospital and was wearing Zippy's bracelets when he made his memorable catch last season against the Dallas Cowboys.
"To us, we're part of The Valerie Fund family and Morristown Memorial (Hospital)," Cimino said. "I believe very strongly they saved my son's life. And whatever we can give back and whatever money we can raise to save another kid's life, that's what we want to do."
The Valerie Fund, which helps children diagnosed with cancer and blood disorders, is hoping to raise $1 million when it holds its annual walk and 5K run Saturday at Verona Park in Verona, New Jersey. For more information, click here.
Seeing Success Stories
The Valerie Fund holds its annual walks so that its young patients can know they are not alone. They are there with hundreds of their peers and their families, all bravely battling the same disease.
But more than that, they're there with cancer survivors.
"I'm cancer free," said 12-year-old Briana Brown. "I found out in March."
Briana has come out the other side of cancer treatment, and she'll be in Verona Park this weekend.
Valerie Fund: Seeing Success Stories
"My closest friends are going to walk with me," she said.
Briana will be there for the kids who are still battling.
So will 17-year-old Brianna Commerford, who has been cancer free for five years.
"I know that it was really the chemo and my amazing doctors who cured my cancer," she said. "But it was really The Valerie Fund who cured my spirit and brought life back when the cancer and the chemo brought me down."
And that might be the best part of the walk: Cancer patients are there with cancer survivors, who show that you can beat it.
