(UPDATE June 9, 2015, 5:45 a.m.) -- LBREPORT.com urges readers to mark your calendars, tell your friends and plan to take part as a runner or walker on Saturday morning, June 13 at the 5th annual Jalen and Breanna Thayer Memorial Run/Walk for Childhood Cancer Awareness. The runs/walks begin at 8:00 a.m. June 13 at Patrick Henry Elementary School, 3720 Canehill Ave in East Long Beach. There'll be a 5K competitive race, a 5K fun run/walk, a 1 mile run/walk, a 1K Kids race, a 1K Senior Stroll, and a Toddler Trot. Online registration is available right now at this link. The night before, there'll be a candlelight vigil (June 12th at 8:00 p.m.) Now in its fifth year, the event is entirely grassroots organized, a genuine community effort. It honors the memory of the ELB brother and sister who both lost their lives to childhood brain cancer. In 2005, it took the life of Mr. and Mrs. Thayer's only daughter Breanna at age 4. Then just a few years later, their first-born son, Jalen -- a straight-A middle school student and decathlon athlete at Newcomb Academy (ELB K-8 school) -- received the devastating diagnosis. Jalen had seen firsthand what the disease did his sister but he fought his illness with courage and optimism. One of his favored phrases was "Have Faith, Be Strong."
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LBREPORT.com was present on March 31, 2011 when Newcomb Academy's entire student body, teachers and administrators held an outdoor assembly to honor Jalen by naming the school's north athletic field for him. Jalen, who had run like the wind on that field, attended in a wheelchair. Offered the microphone at the conclusion of the event, he spoke haltingly in a voice barely above a whisper: "I just want to say thank you, and keep up that positive attitude, and all thanks to God." Within days, he was gone. Jalen's father, Lance Thayer, was a P.E. teacher and coach at ELB's Millikan High; in the midst of these devastating events, he lost his job for budgetary reasons. What this family has undergone is simply unimaginable, yet they are now working to help others. Scroll down for further.
Mr. and Mrs. Thayer created a 501(c)(3) non-profit group whose name carries forward Jalen's expression Have Faith, Be Strong. It provides support for other families dealing with the devastating diagnosis. Childhood brain cancer is an especially deadly form of the disease but receives only a fraction of the research funding given to other cancers. Have Faith Be Strong is a member of the Coalition Against Childhood Cancer (CAC2). The stated mission of Have Faith, Be Strong is to enrich the lives of children and families who are affected by childhood cancer. Scroll down for further.
After Jalen's passing, the Thayers left the area for a while...but now they're back. Mr. and Mrs. Thayer will be present on June 12-13 for the 5th annual Jalen and Breanna Thayer Memorial Run/Walk for Childhood Cancer Awareness. We hope the community turns out in large numbers for this event to support their work, honor their children and display love for this family. In August 2014, mother Jennifer Thayer shared her thoughts on the Have Faith, Be Strong website: Off to a New Start We hope there'll be a large community turnout for Saturday's event. 5th annual Jalen and Breanna Thayer Memorial Run/Walk for Childhood Cancer Awareness. For Facebook information and to share with friends, click here.
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