Toronto’s cancer run drew hundreds

AND THEY’RE OFF — More than 225 runners and walkers participated in the LouAnn Burchfield-Kathy Hannan Hale Colors of Cancer 5K Run-Walk Saturday, raising more than $10,000 to help people battling the disease. — Warren Scott

TORONTO — More than 225 runners and walkers turned out for a 5-kilometer race held in memory of two local women who lost battles to cancer and to raise funds to help others fighting the disease.

Participants in the LouAnn Burchfield-Kathy Hannan Hale Colors of Cancer 5K Run-Walk made their way from the starting line at the intersection of North Fourth and Clark streets to North River Avenue and Old Route 7 at the city’s north end and back while raising more than $10,000 for Sunlight Charities.

Like the race, in its second year, the charity was established by Burchfield’s daughters, Felicia Sacchetti, Susie Benson, Arrica and Natalie; and Hale’s daughters, Alicia Myslinsky and Krista Beswick.

The six women have been very pleased with its success, noting $10,000 raised last year was divided among Trinity Health System’s Teramana Cancer Center and two families with members who were undergoing treatment for cancer.

Natalie said Saturday morning’s cool breeze and tremendous support from the community came together to make this year’s race a tremendous success.

AND THEY’RE OFF — More than 225 runners and walkers participated in the LouAnn Burchfield-Kathy Hannan Hale Colors of Cancer 5K Run-Walk Saturday, raising more than $10,000 to help people battling the disease. — Warren Scott

In addition to many runners and walkers of all ages who made their way along the race’s course, about a dozen youth raced along two blocks of Clark Street for a children’s run held about an hour later.

The six sisters thanked Abby LeMasters, owner of Tri-B’s Coffee Shop, for allowing her business to serve as the center for the race’s coordination and her efforts to publicize it.

“We wouldn’t be able to do it without Abby,” said Natalie.

In addition to the coffee shop, the race was sponsored by about 50 businesses, organizations, families and individuals.

The sisters also expressed gratitude for them and the cooperation and assistance of the city, including its police department, and personnel from the TEMS Joint Ambulance District; as well as the involvement of many volunteers.

They included disc jockey Rich Coburn, who played uptempo music to excite the participants; and cheerleaders from Toronto Junior-Senior High School, who threw brightly colored powder at runners along the route.

The race also has served as a reunion of sorts for the sisters, including Felicia, who traveled from Myrtle Beach, S.C. to attend, and Susie, who came from Tampa, Fla.,o to participate.

“We’re looking forward to bringing the whole family up each year. It’s nice,” said Susie.

“We love it. It brings everybody together, family and friends,” said Felicia.

The race also attracted many family members and friends from communities across the Ohio Valley.

Michelle Wilson of Wintersville — who walked the race’s course with her 14-year-old daughter, Isabella — said they had participated in three races held earlier this year in Toronto and were looking forward to collecting coins recognizing them for “accepting the Gem City Quadfecta Challenge.”

The coins were developed as a means of cross-promotion and an incentive for participation in each of four charity runs held in the city.

In addition to the Burchfield-Hale Colors of Cancer 5K Run, they include the Pat Campbell Fighting Cancer 5K held in March, the Biasi-Shuma Memorial 5K Run-Walk in July and the T-Town Turkey Trot on Thanksgiving Day.

The coins bear the logos for each of them.

Wilson added their participation was a way to honor her father, two grandmothers and other family members who had cancer.

Tina McCoy of Toronto said she was walking with her friend, Shauna Bentley, in memory of her mother, who died from non-Hodgkins lymphoma in 2006.

“Honestly I feel like it’s affected everyone somehow,” she said.

The event also attracted running enthusiasts like Emily Pearson of Wintersville, who said she started participating in such races eight years ago.

“COVID really bumped it up for me,” she said, explaining that during the pandemic, she welcomed the opportunity to do something outside her home.

Chris Fox of Weirton has been in about 10 runs each year in communities ranging from Barnesville to Chester and Wellsburg.

He participated in track and other sports while in high school and has found the races renew his compeitive spirit.

“It’s a lot of fun. You meet a lot of people and help to raise a lot of money for good organizations,” said Fox.

Kyle Lewis of Toronto said as a mental health counselor, he tries to help people better themselves.

“I thought, why not work to better myself,” he said, adding that led him to walk 8 miles a day for three weeks to prepare for Saturday’s race as a walker and he hopes to run in races in the future.

Nancy Budrog, also of Toronto, said while she has two artificial hips, she turned out to walk on Saturday because she has lost three brothers and a sister to cancer and knew Burchfield.

The families of LouAnn McCart Burchfield and Kathy Hannan Hale shared some information about the two women.

LouAnn lost her mother, Judy, to breast cancer when she was 15 and later fought her own three-year battle with gynecological cancer, succumbing to it at age 46 in 2008.

A desire to be close to her children and an adopted grandchild had led her to open a daycare center in her Toronto home, and she was known for her cheerful demeanor both before and following her diagnosis.

A native of Sugar Grove, Ohio, Hale had lost both parents and a sister at a young age but demonstrated a level of perseverance that would see her through a battle with breast cancer in her 40s.

But her life was cut short by an aggressive case of small cell lung cancer at age 70 last year.

Families seeking help from Sunlight Charities can reach out through the race’s Facebook page.

(Scott can be contacted at wscott@heraldtaronline.com.)