By Lawrence Linford | [email protected]

LUNGevity Foundation “Breathe Deep 5K”

Before she was diagnosed with stage III lung cancer, Jan Poulsen and her family knew little about the disease. They looked to the LUNGevity foundation, the only national nonprofit that focuses on and raises funds specifically for lung cancer.

Poulsen learned some startling facts. More patients die from lung cancer than from breast cancer, colon cancer, and prostate cancer combined. One in 16 people will be diagnosed with lung cancer and 60 to 65 percent of lung cancer patients never smoked or had quit.

After Poulsen and her daughters participated in a LUNGevity 5K in Los Angeles they decided to bring the same event to Salt Lake, now in its seventh year. Poulsen is in her 11th year of cancer survivorship and will be participating in the fun walk in Sugar House Park.

Check-in and registration begin at 8 a.m. on August 11 at the Parley's Creek Pavilion. A program about lung cancer prevention and treatment begins at 9 a.m., warm-up starts at 9:30 a.m. and the walk begins at 10. There will be a light breakfast, music, a raffle, face painting and team photos. Adults: $25, seniors/students with ID: $15, children 5 to 13: $10 and lung cancer survivors and children under five are free.

For more information, to donate, sponsor, start a team or preregister visit www.LUNGevity.org/saltlakecity.

Epilepsy Foundation “Seize the Night 5K Fun Walk/Run”

“There are over 40 different kinds of seizures,” said Margo Thurman, executive director of the Utah chapter of the Epilepsy Foundation, “and one out of 26 people have epilepsy.” Sixty-five million are estimated to have epilepsy worldwide.

The Utah chapter has educated over 13,000 people, including first responders, about epilepsy since 2011. “Some police officers we educated about epilepsy thought some people they arrested for suspected drug use might actually been having a seizure. Because the symptoms are similar and the arrestees were later released,” said Thurman.

This 5K event raises awareness of epilepsy, and funds to assist people with epilepsy, their families, weekly support groups and other services. Registration begins at 6 p.m. on August 11 at the Big Field Pavilion. The walk/run starts at 6:45 p.m.

“The mayor will likely be there,” said Thurman. “There’ll be a photo booth, face painting, music, participants will get a T-shirt and a bag from sponsors with info about epilepsy. Pizza will be served after the walk. And people usually stay and dance after the walk.” Adults (13+): $25, children (6-12): $10 and children under 5 are free (there aren’t T-shirts for kids under 5).

For more information or to preregister visit the Utah chapter of the Epilepsy Foundation website, epilepsy.com or email Margo Thurman at [email protected].

Highland Invitational at Sugar House Park

“It’s a great event to kick off the running season,” said Gary Rowles, the meet director, “and we’ve had over 2,000 runners compete.” Highland High School will host its eighth annual Cross Country Invitational in Sugar House Park on August 17, from 2 p.m. to about 7 p.m. The Invitational is open to all teams in Utah.

“It’s a great chance for teams to run parts of the state course and compete against top competition,” wrote Gary Rowles on the runnercard.com website. The event will use the whole park. All are welcome. For more information, including the schedule, visit runnercard.com.

“Own Every Second 5K” sponsored by Kids Eat! Foundation

“Own Every Second was organized by Adam Meyers to remember, and honor his brother, Grant Harrison Meyers, and to raise funds for the KidsEat! Foundation,” according to the event’s website.

“One in five children in the Salt Lake Valley are going home to no food,” according to the Kids Eat! Foundation website, a local nonprofit that helps to feed hungry Utah kids.

The walk is at Fabian Lakeside Pavilion on August 18. Check-in and registration begins at 7 a.m. and the race starts at 8:30 a.m. You can register on the website www.owneverysecond5k.org for $30 up until August 17 or $35 the day of the race. Volunteer opportunities and a link to a GoFundMe page are on the event’s Facebook page.

For more information about the Kids Eat! Foundation visit www.kidseatutah.org.

Cure Search Walk for Children’s Cancer or Salt Lake City Superheroes Unite!

This superhero themed walk raises money to fight children’s cancer. The superhero theme honors cancer survivors and those lost to the disease. Forty-three children are diagnosed with cancer every day. The event includes the walk along with prizes, music, snacks and fun activities for the entire family.

The walk is at the Big Field Pavilion on August 25. Registration/check-in: 8:30 a.m.; opening ceremony and event: 10 a.m.; walk distance: 1.5 miles. There is no fee to register, though fundraising is encouraged and prizes are awarded based on the amount of money raised (at $100 you earn a free T-shirt).

For more information and to register or donate visit www.curesearch.org and click on “Get Involved.”

Children’s Tumor Foundation Walk

This event raises both awareness of neurofibromatosis and funds to help find treatments for the genetic diseases. Neurofibromatosis or NF refers to three distinct diseases that cause tumors to grow on nerves (one in 3,000 births have NF).

There’ll be face painting, a raffle with prizes, a hero dash (a kids race), live music and food and beverages. “It’s a family-friendly day,” said Kim Robinson, regional development manager for Children’s Tumor Foundation. “We’re going to have princess characters, Star Wars characters and the University of Utah is sending out cheerleaders. So it’s a festival for families with NF to get together and people who want to come out and learn about NF.”

This walk is at the Sugar Beet Pavilion on August 25. Registration/check-in starts at 8 a.m. The walk begins at 9 a.m. “The walk program, food and fun,” according to the event’s website, are from 10 a.m. to noon. Registering is free, though fundraising is encouraged (when you register online you’ll receive your own personal fundraising page).

For more information or to register visit www.ctf.org and click on “Get Involved” to find the Salt Lake event. Or contact Kim Robinson at [email protected] or call 646-738-8587.