Elementary schools join memorial walk/run to raise money for childhood cancer research

NEPTUNE BEACH, Fla. – Jacksonville Beach Elementary and Neptune Beach Elementary Schools are remembering one of their students who passed away from cancer last year.

Joe DeWaele passed away from acute lymphoblastic leukemia (or ALL) in November when he was just 9-years-old. Joe’s had a rare subtype, hypodiploid, that made the cancer fast-spreading and resistant to chemotherapy.

Saturday, September 19, Carolyn is hosting a memorial walk/run/cycle for Joe’s classmates, friends, teachers, and cyclists participating in the Great Cycle Challenge.

Joe and his family spent months battling Joe’s cancer with experiential and clinical trials in 2019. Those treatments were in part due to work spearheaded by the Childhood Cancer Research Fund. The organization’s mission is to find a cure for childhood cancer.

In turn, Joe’s mother Carolyn has made it her mission is to make sure the organization has the money to do their life-saving research so that another child will never lose their life to cancer.

RELATED: Bicyclists raise money to end childhood cancer in memory of 9-year-old Jacksonville Beach

All the proceeds from Saturday’s event go the Childhood Cancer Research Fund.

The event starts at 2 p.m. at Jarboe Park in Neptune Beach under the pavilion by the basketball court. The public is invited to attend but social distancing is required.

You can also participate and donate virtually. To join virtually, share your miles with Joe’s mom by emailing her at carolyndewaele@yahoo.com

To make a donation, go here. You can also buy a Team #JoeStrong t-shirt through Venmo ($30) by adding @Carolyn-Dewaele. Great Cycle Challenge tumblers are available too. You can send $30 to naturewhirled@gmail.com on Paypal.