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Chicago Cubs Player holds “Walk Off For Cancer” 5K in Parkland

by Sharon Aron Baron October 22, 2014

by Sharon Aron Baron October 22, 2014 2 minutes read

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2013 Anthony Rizzo Family Foundation Walk Off For Cancer 5K

By: Sharon Aron Baron

Chicago Cubs player and MLB All-Star Anthony Rizzo will be holding his Third Annual Walk Off for Cancer 5k on November 16, in Parkland.

Rizzo, who is from Parkland, holds this annual charity walk to raise money for his foundation, The Anthony Rizzo Family Foundation. Their mission is to raise money for cancer research and to provide support to children and their families battling the disease.

Rizzo knows firsthand what individuals and families dealing with cancer go through. Back in 2008, at the age of 18, Anthony Rizzo was beginning his career as a professional baseball player in Greenville, SC when his life came to an abrupt halt. He was diagnosed with Hodgkin’s Lymphoma and had to go through six months of chemotherapy.

Anthony Rizzo – Photo by Ron Elkman

This was a tough time for his family as his grandmother was also battling breast cancer at the same time.

Rizzo believed that no matter how difficult fighting cancer was, it was even more difficult for his family.

With the help of his family, friends, and The Boston Red Sox Organization, on September 2, 2008, his doctor gave him the great news; that he was in remission.

Rizzo still had six weeks left of treatment and follow up testing, but finally, on November 18, 2008, his doctor told him that he could live a normal life. At that point, he said he knew that he wanted to become a role model to help cancer patients and their families.

In 2012, The Anthony Rizzo Family Foundation began. It is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization benefiting cancer research and the families fighting the disease. Last year’s event raised over $100,000 for the foundation.

The Third Annual Walk Off for Cancer 5k will take place Nov. 16 at Pine Trails Park located at 10555 Trails End, Parkland, Florida.

To register for the event, go to the Anthony Rizzo Family Foundation.

Author Profile

Sharon Aron Baron

Editor of Talk Media and writer for Coral Springs Talk. CST was created in 2012 to provide News, Views, and Entertainment for the residents of Coral Springs and the rest of South Florida.