The Valerie Fund Blog

I was diagnosed with non-Hodgkin's Burkitt lymphoma and so began my journey at The Valerie Fund Center in Goryeb's Children's Hospital. I felt spoiled most days, as the nurses, mind and body team, doctors and other people at the center would always go above and beyond to make sure I was comfortable, even though at that point that was impossible. They would book me massages, reiki treatments and aromatherapy sessions. I was able to play with the service dogs too.  My nurses encouraged me to focus on getting better however that may have looked. My doctors rallied around me as I would shave my head and put new symbols in it every time. We would discuss my education and what I planned to do with it down the road. My team at the Valerie Center in Morristown became my best friends.

September is a very important month for The Valerie Fund. In the United States, September has been designated both National Children's Cancer Awareness Month and National Sickle Cell Awareness Month. The healthcare heroes of The Valerie Fund Children's Centers are dedicated to supporting the children who battle both pediatric cancer and blood disorders so we want to share a little bit more about these two special designations as well as what we can all do during this time to maximize the support for our kids. 

Congratulations! You’ve just signed up for The Valerie Fund Walk & JAG-ONE Physical Therapy 5K on September 17th! With excitement and anticipation flowing through your veins, you just can’t wait to put on your best pair of running shoes and head over to the course surrounding and within beautiful Verona Park. Similar to how an athlete must train for the upcoming season, 5K participants must season their body so they’ll be able to complete the event in its entirety without getting hurt. If it’s your first time participating in a 5K, or you'd appreciate a little refresher, here’s what you’ll need to know to prepare for the big race.

The Valerie Fund Walk & 5K will be on September 25th this year instead of June and it will be a hybrid of in-person and virtual for the first time. One thing that won't be different is the need our kids face and the support your fundraising provides. Does your team need a few pointers on how to hit your Walk fundraising goal?

On October 3rd, hundreds of Valerie Fund patients, families, and supporters came together virtually because we could not come together in person in Verona Park. COVID-19 was not going to stop The Valerie Fund Community, however, and The Virtual Valerie Fund Walk & JAG-ONE Physical Therapy 5K was both a first and a great success!

September is a very important month for The Valerie Fund. In the United States, September has been designated both National Children's Cancer Awareness Month and National Sickle Cell Awareness Month. The healthcare heroes of The Valerie Fund Children's Centers are dedicated to supporting the children who battle both pediatric cancer and blood disorders so we want to share a little bit more about these two special designations as well as what we can all do during this time to maximize the support for our kids. 

By now you've probably heard that The Valerie Fund Walk & JAG-ONE Physical Therapy 5K has gone virtual for 2020. Going from in-person at Verona Park to virtual requires a lot of changes for many people but what does it mean when it comes to fundraising? Let's take a look at what a virtual event means for fundraising especially in 2020!

When kids are going through treatment at a Valerie Fund Children's Center, they have the strength and tenacity to never give up. How could we do any less for them? We had to postpone The Valerie Fund Walk & JAG-ONE Physical Therapy 5K in Verona Park to October 3rd due to COVID-19 but we're not letting that get us down. On June 13th, the original date of the Walk & 5K, we are now hosting a brand new event - The Valerie Fund Virtual Walk & Run!

Thank you to everyone who joined us on October 13th for the Monmouth Medical Center Valerie Fund 5K Run & Walk!

Friends, families, and supporters of The Valerie Fund Center at Monmouth Medical Center's Unterberg Children's Hospital came together to show how impactful a group of people can be. Please enjoy a small collection of some of our favorite moments from the day and you can see all of the photos from the day below.