Hundreds of people will take to the Camp Walker, South Korea, Airfield track later this month for an all-night walk in support of cancer survivors and research.
It’s the third year for the Cancer Awareness Relay Event (CARE), said Laurel Baek, Area IV Morale, Welfare and Recreation marketing chief. The event is patterned after the “Relay for Life” events sponsored by the American Cancer Society.
Those events feature an all-night walk, where teams take turns keeping someone on the track. The goal is to have 100 teams participate, and last year more than 300 people participated, Baek said.
The 168th Medical Battalion is organizing the event but can’t solicit or receive donations, Baek said. But the unit can suggest organizations that can accept donations, and teams may raise their own funds.
“The power of CARE is that it allows a community to grieve for those lost to cancer and to celebrate the lives of those who have survived,” said Capt. Phillip Christy of the 168th Medical Battalion. Registered teams with authorized access to U.S. military installations can use the transient barracks, the Kelly Fitness Center, or set up tents at designated camping areas.
For those who do not have access, a designated area will be available within the Walker Airfield. Between five and 12 people can form a team, and each team is asked to have a representative on the track at all times once the event begins.
This year, the event coincides with an open house at Camp Walker, where members of the local South Korean community can tour the base, Baek said. Organizers are hoping that more South Koreans will participate in CARE.
The event begins at 5:30 p.m. Friday, May 21. At 6 p.m., cancer survivors will take the first lap on the track in celebration of their health. At 9 p.m., a candlelight ceremony will be held to remember those who passed away from cancer.
The open house will run from 5:30 p.m. to 9 p.m. On May 22, the open house will run from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. South Korean teams participating in the CARE event can enter and exit the area inside Camp Walker’s Gate 4.
Teams must register to take part. For more information or team registration, contact Maj. Larry Patterson at 764-5198 or larry.patterson@kor.amedd.army.mil, Capt. Phillip Christy at 764-4217 or phillip.Christy@kor.amedd.army.mil or Capt. Bryan Thomas at 764-4425 or bryan.thomas@kor.amedd.army.mil. Korean speakers may contact Kim Kok-cho at 053-470-4392.
