A cause that hits close to home – 6th annual Brooke Hester Hustle

 

Just this week, Micah Ahern, age 7, of Fort Worth, passed away. He had nueroblastoma, a particuliarly deadly form of childhood cancer. He obtain local celebrity status when the TCU Horn Frogs Baseball team adopted him as a team mascot in 2013. {{more: read more …}}At the college world series this year the team wore a Micah logo (letter “M” inside a superman symbol).

 

Closer to home, Brooke Hester, age 8, passed away last summer after a five year battle with cancer. Brooke was the daughter of Jessica and Beau Hester. Beau is the son of Lucia and Dan Hester of Kennedale. Dan, who passed away in 2009, operated a house moving business for 40 years, a business that his father had started and which is still in the family, now operated by son, Casey. Lucia has worked for Kennedale ISD for years. Their sons, Beau and Casey, grew up here and attended school in Kennedale.

 

diagnosed at age of 3 …

 

In November 2010, when Brooke was 3, she was diagnosed with

stage 4 neuroblastoma, a cancer of the nervous system. It had spread to her bone

marrow. At one point she and her mother spent nearly a year at a Ronald McDonald House in

New York while she underwent surgery and treatments to battle the bone marrow

cancer. Her father, Beau, remained at their home in Corpus Christi, Texas, supporting the

family, according to an article posted on mlive.com.

 

She was later accepted into a research study program at Helen DeVos Children’s Hosiptal in Grand Rapids, MI. She and her mother were regulars for three years.

 

the “Shuffle” was started in 2011 …

 

The family struggled with medical and other related bills at first and that is when the Brooke Hester Shuffle in Kennedale started. The 5K and 1 mile run raised $6,000 that first year in 2011. But the race has continued every year since as a charity to help fund children’s cancer research and awareness.

 

A even larger charity by the family was created called Brooke’s Blossoming Hope. It has had an international impact in money’s donated to cancer research and headbands made from colorful flowers or other specially made headwear that were given to children who had lost their hair due to chemo around the world.

 

surprise 8th birthday party …

Brooke reached 8 on April 27, 2015 and was given a surprise birthday “wish” party at the Texas State Aquarium in Corpus Christi. The party ended up raising $88,000 which was donated for children’s

cancer research.

Brooke died peacefully and without pain on the afternoon of

June 26, 2015 her mother reported.

The family wants to continue to raise money in Brooke’s

honor for the foundation named in her honor and continue the research cures for childhood cancers.

6th annual Shuffle, August 20 at Town Center …

 

So in keeping with that wish, the 6th Annual Brooke Hester Shuffle will kick off Saturday, August 20 at Kennedale Town Center, 405 Municipal Drive. This is an event that has raised over $35,000 since its inception.

 

 

The event is family friendly and even pet friendly. It offers:

• 5K – Individual 5K;
• 1 Mile Fun Run – 16 & Older – Individual 16 & Older;
• 1 Mile Fun Run – Ages 11 – 15 – Individual 11-15;
• 1 Mile Fun Run 10 & Younger – Individual 10 & Younger;
• Dog – 5K or 1 Mile – Four-Legged Friend

Register by August 1st for special early bird discounts, and bring your entire family for the 5k race or 1 mile fun run. It’s a great way to have a fun morning together for an incredibly important cause. REGISTER HERE

 

The following video was posted at thematthewstory.com

 

 

Her family has dedicated their lives to both improving the lives of young cancer patients through Brooke’s Blossoms and ending the disease once and for all through various fundraising efforts dedicated to funding research and finding a cure.

 

If you are not a runner or walker but want to donate or become a sponsor, click here to DONATE or click SPONSOR to find out more.