Join hundreds of dedicated dribblers on a 1.2-mile course around the UCLA campus on Sunday, Oct. 11, in the eighth annual Dribble for the Cure fundraiser for combatting pediatric cancer. Teaming up for the fun will be UCLA coach Cori Close and her Bruin women’s basketball team, coach Steve Alford and his Bruin men’s basketball squad, UCLA Athletics, the Pediatric Cancer Research Foundation and the Cancer Research Program at Mattel Children’s Hospital UCLA.
Also participating will be Bruin basketball Hall of Famer John Vallely, whose family has been on the front lines of the battle against cancer for many years. In 1991, Vallely his wife, Karen, lost their 12-year-old daughter, Erin, to cancer. In 2002, Vallely was diagnosed with Non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma, and he and is a two-time stem cell/bone marrow transplant survivor.
Registration for the event starts at 8:30 a.m. at Drake Stadium, where activity booths and entertainment will highlight a 10 a.m. welcome ceremony. The dribbling starts at 10:15 a.m. – bring your own basketball or purchase one at the event. Finish line festivities at 11:15 a.m. — at Collins Court in John Wooden Recreation Center — offer a unique opportunity for autographs and photos with Bruin athletes. Every participant will receive a Dribble for the CureT-shirt and goodie bag.
Become eligible for prizes by registering in advance as an individual or team, then collecting pledges and turning them in before the Oct. 11 event.
Last year’s Dribble for the Cure saw more than 550 participants raise a record $177,650. Over its seven-year history, nearly 5,000 participants have raised almost $1 million to support treatment for pediatric cancer patients at Mattel Children’s Hospital and to fund research.
Dr. Theodore B. Moore, chief of Pediatric Hematology Oncology at Mattel Children’s Hospital, said that the fundraiser has played an important part in the battle against pediatric cancer. “We have seen advances in the treatment and care of our patients move forward in a constructive way, and that is helping our young patients live a better quality of life. The research gains that come from the support we receive through ‘Dribble for the Cure’ gives us all renewed hope for a long and bright future for our young patients.”
Register online and find more information here. And check out this video from last year's event: