The 5K Run/Walk route on Shaw University’s campus will open to walkers and runners at 10AM on the day of the event. The official university kickoff and 5K start will begin at 5 PM, opened by university president, Dr. Paulette Dillard, the Shaw University Platinum Sound Band, and student leaders.
The 5K Cancer Awareness Run/Walk is also open to virtual participants across the country. Those who attend virtually can walk or run anytime, anywhere, on March 29.
“This year is even more special because our dean, Dr. Lynette Wood, is courageously fighting the disease,” Ms. Barbara Powell-Jackson, Shaw University’s Gold Community Engagement Coordinator, said. “This event is about awareness for everyone, with a special focus on her.”
Dr. Wood is an integral part of the university. She was instrumental in Shaw University becoming the first HBCU to receive the CEO Cancer Gold Standard employer accreditation and introduced the CEO Roundtable on Cancer to Shaw University.
The 5K Cancer Awareness Run/Walk is just one component of the CEO Roundtable on Cancer and Shaw University’s work toward eliminating cancer. Advocating for regular health checkups and screenings is another element of their joint effort to eradicate cancer.
The CEO Roundtable on Cancer played a major role in Dr. Wood’s decision to add a colonoscopy to her cancer screenings. “As dean, I want to lead by example. So, in addition to my annual mammogram, our partnership with the CEO Roundtable on Cancer compelled me to add a colonoscopy to my cancer screenings,” Dr. Wood said. “This resulted in my receiving a diagnosis of Stage IV colon cancer in January of this year. So, this 5K is especially meaningful to me as someone in a major cancer battle.”
The 5K Cancer Awareness Run/Walk is a collaborative effort between Shaw’s School of Business and Professional Studies, its Wellness 4 All initiative, and the Innovation and Entrepreneurship Student Club. Internal and external partners are crucial to the success of this event. “We are thankful for our 2023 primary sponsor, SouthState Bank, who stepped up to support our student ambassadors in organizing this meaningful community program,” said Dr. Wood.
The faculty, staff, and students who planned the 5K hope the event encourages the community to schedule cancer screenings. “Screenings are critically important in the fight against cancer,” Dr. T. Nichole Phillips, Director of the Innovation and Entrepreneurship Center, said. “Screenings provide the opportunity to identify any challenges before or at early onset to increase the likelihood of successful treatment.”
Students, faculty, and staff alike have risen to Dr. Wood’s challenge to encourage their loved ones to join them at the 5K. Last year’s 5K had close to 250 participants, and this year’s event is on track to have over 500 participants from all over the country.
For more information about the Cancer Awareness 5K Run/Walk, please visit:
https://events.shawu.edu/community/cancer-awareness-5k-run-walk/
