Race for a Cause: How You Can Support Cancer Patients & Their Families
Spartan's core mission has always been to change 100 million lives. But changing lives is about so much more than just getting people to sign up for a race. It's about helping people exercise more, eat better, set and achieve goals, improve their mindset, and get out of their comfort zone.
It's also about giving back, which is incredibly important to us, and is something we strive to do whenever possible.
We teamed up with the American Cancer Society and the American Red Cross earlier this year, and now we're adding the Pinky Swear Foundation to the list of incredible charities we're honored to partner with.
What Does the Pinky Swear Foundation Do?
Since 2003, the Pinky Swear Foundation has helped kids with cancer, and their families, both financially and emotionally. The foundation's name comes from Mitch Chepokas, who died from bone cancer at age 9. Before Chepokas succumbed to the disease, he asked his dad, Steve, to make a pinky swear promise to him.
"Dad," Mitch said, "Promise me you will keep helping kids with cancer! Pinky swear with me that you will do it forever!"
Steve, of course, agreed. The following spring, Steve and Becky Chepokas created the Pinky Swear Foundation in honor of Mitch. In the nearly 20 years since its formation, it has provided more than $20 million to thousands of families fighting cancer. Those funds help cancer patients and their families make mortgage, rent, and car payments, and pay utility, gas, and grocery bills.
To contribute to the cause, you can start a fundraiser, become a partner and make a monthly gift, or provide support to Pinky Swear Pantries. You can also contribute to Pinky Swear's Cancer Is Messy campaign which, as of press time, had raised more than $218,000 of its $375,000 goal.
Spartan and Pinky Swear Team Up to Help Cancer Patients
Spartan was moved and inspired by Pinky Swear's mission, so we decided to team up to give their cause more awareness and help secure more donations.
In working towards that goal, we created a Pinky Swear Foundation Pass, and with every purchase of it, we'll donate 30% of the revenue to the foundation.
To support the cause, you can purchase a Pinky Swear Foundation Pass — good for both kids and adult races — redeem a pass code for the race of your choice, and then join a Pinky Swear team to race with fellow donors. To join a Pinky Swear team, click here. (You need to sign in to your Spartan account to join a team.)
And, of course, you can continue to race in support of our official charity partners, the American Cancer Society and the American Red Cross.
Below, check out some of the remarkable, touching work that the Pinky Swear Foundation has done.
