Hope Starts Here Challenge this Saturday

Hundreds of people will pound the pavement this weekend to help fund local research into brain cancer.

The Hope Starts Here Challenge is Saturday.

It benefits the Upper Michigan Brain Tumor Center, a partnership between Marquette General Health System and Northern Michigan University.

The challenge is the center’s only fundraiser each year.

“It really supports all our programs, especially student research at Northern Michigan University, which has been going very well,” Marquette General neurosurgeon Dr. Richard Rovin said. “Our students have presented their work nationally and internationally.”

The challenge includes a half-marathon and competitive 10K and 5K runs, but it also has a non-competitive family leisure walk and bike ride to encourage anyone to take part.

“It’s a chance for our patients and their families to interact with our students,” Rovin said. “And you can’t believe how motivating that is to our students to realize that, you know, it’s not just a cancer cell they’re looking at.”

All of the events begin Saturday morning at Lakeview Arena in Marquette, and registration is still open.

It’ll remain open at the event, and if you want to sign up online ahead of time, you can do it here.