r By Jordan Wright, Provor
Runners and walkers of all ages are encouraged to participate in this year’s Rex Lee Run, which will take place on Saturday, March 12. Come join us with family and friends for the 1K (8:30 a.m.), the 10K (9 a.m.) or the 5K (9:15 a.m.). The races begin outside the BYU Outdoor Track located just south of Lavell Edwards Stadium. Register today at rexleerun.byu.edu/register-to-run.
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Each of the hundreds of Brigham Young University students, Provo residents and visitors who cross the finish line at the annual Rex Lee Run is running for a reason. For some, the 5K or 10K is a chance to train for a larger race, to do something active with family and friends, or to participate in a favorite tradition. For many, the race is personal — a chance to join the fight against cancer, to show support for loved ones who are currently battling the disease, and to honor Rex E. Lee, BYU’s 10th president, who succumbed to cancer in 1996. What some runners do not realize, however, is that participating in the race also enables the careers of aspiring cancer researchers.
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All proceeds from the Rex Lee Run help fund the summer fellowship program at the BYU Simmons Center for Cancer Research. Each year, undergraduate and graduate students submit proposals for the cancer research they are interested in pursuing. This basic research provides knowledge for the worldwide cancer research community.
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The fellowship program not only benefits the progress of cancer research, but it also changes the lives of the students selected to participate. Summer fellows are given the opportunity to research full-time for four months.
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SCCR mentors are amazed at the passion and dedication of students who could do anything with their summers but choose to study cancer. “They’re really dedicated to making the world a better place,” said Dr. Julianne Grose.
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Eighteen of these students were awarded summer fellowships last year thanks in part to the success of the 2015 Rex Lee Run. An unprecedented 1,800 people registered to run, and many more came to support the runners. Race Director Emily Sorensen hopes to make the race equally successful this year.
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“I think the Rex Lee Run is an amazing community experience that brings everyone together in this fight against cancer,” she said. “It is especially meaningful for the fellows because they can see thousands of people coming together to support the work they are doing, and it gives them more hope as they search for a cure.”
