Truckers’ Parade Against Cancer receives Hero of Research award

June 17, 2022

Ryan Witkowski

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A group with ties to trucking is being honored for its fundraising contributions to cancer research.

On June 15, Charlotte Court House, Va.-based Truckers’ Parade Against Cancer announced its Relay For Life team had received the Hero of Research Award. The group was one of four teams to receive the honor from the American Cancer Society this year.

The award is given to Relay For Life teams who raise a minimum of $165,000 during the relay season. Recipients of the award are given the chance to name an American Cancer Society-approved existing postdoctoral fellowship research grant in honor of a loved one or their team. The named grant is then active for three years.

As part of the award, the TPAC team choose a grant currently being funded at Duke University to rename. Dr. Elliot SoRelle’s grant, “Resolving the Origins of Restricted Fate in Epstein-Barr-Virus-Infected B Lymphocyte Proliferation,” has been named in the team’s honor.

 

“This team wants to ensure that when a patient sees a doctor they are receiving the right treatment to give them a better quality of life,” the group said in a statement. “The Truckers’ Parade was started in memory of one special lady. If today’s treatments had been available in 1997, she might have had the chance to see her grandchildren grow up – that’s the value of research.”

The team has been hosting the annual truck parade since 2000. For the parade, trucks drive through four towns in the county while carrying banners to honor friends and love ones who have fought a battle with cancer. According to the group’s website, the parade has raised over $1.4 million for Relay For Life since 2000.

This year’s event is scheduled to be held on Oct. 8. In addition to the parade, raffle tickets will be available to purchase for a number of different prizes. LL