A charitable 5K run and 2-mile walk to benefit local head and neck cancer patients is returning to the Florida Keys.
The annual event is known as Head and Neck Cancer: A Hard Thing to Swallow, and takes place on Saturday, Sept. 30 at Higgs Memorial Park, 1000 Atlantic Blvd. in Key West. The race starts at 8 a.m.
Funds raised will benefit the Florida-based nonprofit Partners in Care Foundation and will be used for head and neck cancer education, screening and treatment in the Florida Keys.
Registration is open now through race day, with an entry fee of $35 for adults and $25 for those ages 17 and under (children under 5 years of age are free). Fees to pre-register before September 20 are discounted $5, and all participants who register in advance will receive a race T-shirt.
The overall top male and female will receive an award, while the first three male and female finishers in the 5K timed run in each age category will receive medals. Strollers and pets are allowed only in the 2-mile walk.
Runners and walkers can also register to participate virtually and can enter their times on the race’s website, if desired.
The Key West event is part of the charitable foundation’s slate of nationwide fundraisers. Additional events take place in California, Colorado, North and South Carolina, Washington state, West Virginia, Miami, Broward County and on Florida’s Gulf Coast.
The race series was started 11 years ago to bring awareness to head and neck cancers and raise money for those unable to afford costly recovery therapies that often aren’t covered by insurance, or which require a very high copay.
For more information about the event, to sponsor or to register, visit Partners in Care.