The 2015 Cancer Chase 5K is hosted by Chase Mahrlig, a 17 year-old cancer survivor, and the non-profit organization he founded called The Cancer Chase. All event proceeds benefit the Cancer Research Innovations Fund at Carolinas HealthCare System’s Levine Cancer Institute. Research supported by this fund will provide novel and improved methods for treating cancers.  The fund also supports LCI physicians as they collaborate with other researchers (not just locally, but around the world) to identify and pursue potential breakthroughs in diagnosis and treatment activities.

In his own words, Chase writes:

“My name is Chase Mahrlig and last November I was diagnosed with cancer. One day I was your ordinary healthy teenage boy who enjoyed hanging out with friends, the next I was being told I had advanced testicular cancer with tumors in my abdomen and lungs.

After many rounds of chemotherapy and several surgeries I am now cancer free and my future prognosis is very good. This experience has drastically altered my outlook on the world, and I now want to dedicate my life to helping others fight cancer. My plan is to go to medical school and become an oncologist so I can give back to the cancer community. I have recently set up a nonprofit called The Cancer Chase which will feature a yearly 5k (The Cancer Chase 5K) to raise money for cancer research.

Almost all of us have someone in our lives who has been hit with the sobering news that they have cancer. Maybe it’s a parent or other relative, or a close friend. In our lifetimes, about 40 percent of us will be diagnosed with some form of cancer, according to the American Cancer Society.

Your participation in this race will directly benefit Carolinas HealthCare System’s Levine Cancer Institute. Established in 2010, Carolinas HealthCare System announced an ambitious $500 million, 10-year plan to partner with its network of more than 30 affiliated hospitals to recruit nationally prominent medical teams and share expertise in cancer treatments and research. The good news is that experts at Carolinas HealthCare System’s Levine Cancer Institute are making significant advancements in detecting and treating all kinds of cancer. Because of philanthropy, Carolinas HealthCare System is expanding its resources to fight cancer and bring national-level expertise to communities throughout the Carolinas. Your support of this event will directly benefit these programs which help so many people across the Carolinas. Please join me in the chase.”