Benjamin’s Bone Marrow Blitz Set for Sept. 9

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AUBURN —

In September 2022, Benjamin Bobo was born with a severe form of blood cancer — congenital acute myeloid leukemia (AML). This diagnosis occurs in approximately one in 5 million people. At just five weeks old, Benjamin was admitted to Children's Hospital of Alabama in Birmingham where he endured five rounds of aggressive chemotherapy treatment. Each round of treatment required him to be inpatient for over 30 days. After over 170 days in the hospital, he was finally discharged in May 2023.

A 10K, 5K and 1-mile fun run in honor of Benjamin’s journey is set for Saturday, Sept. 9, 2023. The run will take place at Town Creek Park in Auburn, and is accessible to all ages and fitness levels. The 1-mile fun run will begin at 8 a.m., followed by a combined start for the 10K and 5K at 8:30 a.m. All proceeds from the Blitz will benefit childhood cancer research at Children’s Hospital of Alabama. Register to run or walk in Benjamin's Bone Marrow Blitz here: www.runsignup.com/ Race/Info/AL/Auburn/ BenjaminsBlitz.

"Benjamin is blessed to be in remission, but not every child battling leukemia is as lucky," said Cat Bobo, Benjamin's mother and race director.

"In fact, most of the other children we met needed a bone marrow transplant in addition to chemotherapy. And should Benjamin ever relapse, he would also need a bone marrow transplant."

Benjamin's experience shed light on many needs in the pediatric oncology/hematology world. Firstly, there is a need for more bone marrow donors — especially for minorities and mixed races. Be the Match will be on-site at the Blitz so participants can join the bone marrow donor registry by simply answering a few questions and conducting a quick cheek swab. Secondly, childhood cancer research is consistently underfunded. Each day, 47 children are diagnosed with cancer in the United States, which means more than 17,000 children in the U.S. are diagnosed each

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year. "We hope that Benjamin's Blitz will raise awareness of the need for bone marrow donors, and all proceeds of the event will benefit pediatric cancer research at Children's Hospital right here in Alabama," Bobo said.

Registration for Benjamin's Bone Marrow Blitz is now open here:www. runsignup.com/ Race/AL/Auburn/ BenjaminsBlitz. If you cannot attend but would like to donate, that option is also available. You can read more about Benjamin's story on his CaringBridge page: www.caringbridge.org/ visit/benjaminbobo.

For more information about the Blitz or if you'd like to become a sponsor, contact Bobo at cat@aotourism.com.

Every three minutes, someone is diagnosed with a blood cancer like leukemia.

For patients with blood cancers like leukemia, lymphoma and other lifethreatening diseases, a cure exists. Be The Match(r) is a community of donors, volunteers, health care professionals and researchers who deliver cures by helping patients get the life-saving marrow transplant they need. Our passion to save lives drives us to help more patients survive each year. Learn more about Be the Match here: www.bethematch.

org/.

ABOUT THE ALABAMA CENTER FOR CHILDHOOD CANCER AND BLOOD DISORDERS AT CHILDREN'S HOSPITAL: resources. In 2006, Burke became the director of the Lee County DHR, where she would serve for 17 years.

Each year, more than 190 children are diagnosed with cancer in Alabama. The diagnoses include leukemia, lymphoma, brain and spinal cord tumors, solid tumors of muscle and bone, kidney and liver tumors and rare childhood cancers. There are approximately 2,000 patients treated with serious blood disorders, including sickle cell disease and hemophilia that receive care from the center each year.

Alabama Center for Childhood Cancer and Blood Disorders physicians are actively working toward the goal of a cure for all children through research and development of innovative therapies. Learn more here: www.childrensal.org/ services/cancer-andblood-disorders.

Helping the county flourish for so long has left Burke with a lot to be proud of, she said. However, she said she feels proudest of watching the individuals she trained and worked with grow on their own.

“These people [are] fine, hard-working people,” she said. “You know they got it and they are making a difference. It’s been a privilege to see them go out and make a difference.”

Now retired, the world is Burke’s oyster. Though she and her husband do have plans to travel down the coast in August, she’s not planning on gallivanting across the world just yet. Right now, her two grandchildren, Anna Bella Burke and William Burke III, will have her full focus, she said.

“As of [my last day,] Friday afternoon, you can find me with those children,” she said with a smile.

Retirement brings significant changes in Burke’s life, but she said it’s the little things that she will cherish the most.

“I think I’m going to enjoy doing nothing,” she said. “Drinking that second cup of coffee. The job that I did was very regulated. I’m going to have to learn to relax.”

Though no longer working, Burke still feels that she might not be done helping the county, she said.

“If I decided to do anything else, I would look at [working with] the nonprofits, since I was on the board for a lot of them,” she said. “Seeing what they have done for foster children has been such a blessing.”

In total, Burke spent 41 years working for the DHR. Her dedication to Lee County will be missed.