Calling All Superheroes!

Superman, Batman, Superwoman… All of these childhood favorites are known swooping in whenever there’s trouble to save the day! However, on September 29^th, hundreds of superheroes will be running in an effort to help others.

The 1^st Annual Superhero 5K is 5K run and 1 mile family walk benefitting Keep Kids Connected, a non-profit organization providing Netbook computers to kids with cancer or life-threatening illnesses. In addition to the run and walk, a costume contest will be held and prizes will be awarded for the Best Classic Superhero and Best Unique Superhero. 104.1 KRBE will be keeping the crowd pumped with the latest pop music and there will be plenty of food and fun for everyone. This exciting event is all taking place at 8 a.m. on Saturday, September 29^th at the Villagio Town Center in Katy and the best news is, it isn’t too late to be a part of the action!

I bet you’d like to learn more about Keep Kids Connected though, right? Allow me to introduce you to the inspiration beyond Keep Kids Connected, Caitlyn Mortus. Ms. Mortus is a sixteen year old who battled Burkitt’s lymphoma less than four years ago. Burkitts lymphoma is a rare, highly aggressive type of B-cell lymphoma that commonly affects children. In spite of its fast-growing nature, Burkitt’s lymphoma is often curable with modern intensive therapies. After spending 5 months in intensive chemotherapy treatment, Caitlyn’s cancer went into remission and she has been cancer-free ever since! Understandably, those five months of treatment deeply affected Caitlyn and after going into remission, she knew she wanted to do something to help other children faced with cancer and other life-threatening illnesses.

The main thing that made those five months in the hospital more bearable for Caitlyn was a Netbook computer gifted to her by a family friend. While she appreciated the inpatient activities (such as arts & crafts and bingo) offered by the hospital, the “social butterfly” missed her daily interactions with friends and family. On her Netbook, Caitlyn could Skype chat with friends, keep up with schoolwork, check in on Facebook, play online games, and watch silly YouTube videos to pass the time. Her Netbook was her portal to the world outside the walls of the hospital. It allowed her to stay in touch with her loved ones and helped her remain positive while undergoing chemotherapy. Once she was given a clean bill of health and allowed to return to her normal life, Caitlyn knew exactly what she wanted to do for those still facing that challenge.

To date, Keep Kids Connected has given away 300 Netbook computers to children across the country with cancer or other life-threatening illness. Caitlyn knows that these Netbooks will help them stay connected to family and friends while they are in the hospital or at home unable to have visitors. “It gives me great joy to see the smiles on the faces of the kids who we give computers to because I know how hard their lives are and because I have been through what they are going through, they know I can relate to their situation. Giving computers to these kids has been so rewarding for me and my family and I hope that we will be able to continue to do this for as long as it takes,” says Caitlyn. By joining in the excitement of the Superhero 5K, you can help Caitlyn and all of the Keep Kids Connected supporters in a mission to promote the power of social healing. Please join us!

For more information on Keep Kids Connected, to make a donation, or to register for the Superhero 5K please visit their website.

I’d like to thank the following sponsors of the 1^st Annual Superhero 5K. These folks truly are heroes!

Are you running in the Superhero 5K? What superhero are you going to be? Be sure to take your photo and upload it to our Facebook page or Twitter feed!