Annual Parkway Run

PHILADELPHIA - September 24, 2013 (WPVI) -- Sunday morning, while much of the region sleeps, thousands will gather outside the Four Seasons Hotel for the annual Parkway Run.

It's the hotel's annual event raising money for pediatric cancer research and treatment at Children's Hospital of Philadelphia.

Four Seasons, a Canadian-based chain, has a long history of supporting cancer care, and each hotel worldwide commits to an event like this.

Paul Urian of Four Seasons Philadelphia says the hotel hopes this year will set a record, raising over a million dollars.

The run and walk is just a few hours for participants, but it's a year-round commitment at the hotel. Staff members engage in activities all the time to raise money for the "run".

Spa staff might sell co-workers chair massages and others might offer shoeshines.

Everything brings in money that goes toward the run.

Children's Hospital patients and their families often participate in the run as teams, and they compete to see who can raise the most each year. This year's runaway leader is Naya Summy, a ten-year-old brain cancer patient from Delaware County.

A year ago, Naya was a seemingly-heathy young girl. But in February, she was diagnosed with a tumor and had surgery.

Still under treatment, Naya will participate in golf cart Sunday. But hundreds of family, friends and classmates will be out there in support of her and the hospital.

They've raised more than $34,000 via Team Naya so far. If you visit the Parkway run website, you can find complete details of the event, and read about participating teams.

If you wish, you may make a donation, pledging through the team of your choice if you like.

Over the decades, research at Children's Hospital has brought great progress in the war against pediatric cancer. Yet some families still lose a child to the dread disease, so the war goes on.

Progress is constant, and it's possible your contribution may lead to a major breakthrough.

The annual run begins with registration outside the hotel, 18th and Benjamin Franklin Parkway, at 7:00am. The run starts at 8:00am.

Awards are at 9:45am and by 11:00am, the course will be cleared away until next year.

For information, visit the Parkway Run website.

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