Cancer Challenge offers fun, fundraising

For the 23rd year in a row, the NWA Cancer Challenge put on a variety of events for locals that offered food, fun, and the chance to raise money for cancer care.

Cancer Challenge events included longtime favorites like golf, tennis, trap shooting torunaments, a 5k and 10k Run/Walk and an AllStar Tailgate Party.

New to this year was a Catfish Corndogs and Cornhole Tournament that was put on by corporate partner Whyte Spyder. The event was held on Friday outside Riordan Hall.

Friday night’s All-Star Tailgate Party featured Eric Berry, a safety for the Kansas City Chiefs, who survived his own fight with cancer.

More than 2,000 people took part in the events.

While the amount of money raised is still being tallied, Executive Director Erin Rongers said that the total is expected to be close to $800,000.

“The Cancer Challenge advocates and supports world-class cancer care in northwest Arkansas,” Rongers said. “We provided funds to programs focused on cancer prevention and education, treatment and naivation, and survivorship.”

This year’s grant partners included Community Clinic, Circle of Life Hospice, Hope Cancer Resources, Washington Regional Cancer Support Home, Mercy Foundation NWA, and Mercy Family YMCA.

“Since our inception,” Rongers said, “we have invested over $11.5 million and served over 350,000 people with these funds.”