‘Walk for the Mind’ donates $115,000 to College of Medicine for brain tumor research
Mark Linder Walk for the Mind donated $115,000 to the University of Illinois College of Medicine Peoria to support brain tumor and brain cancer research. The donation includes proceeds from the group’s 20th annual walk held September 24 on Peoria’s Riverfront as well as other fundraisers throughout the year. The 20th Annual Walk for the Mind included 693 registered walkers and 58 brain tumor survivors. President Stephen Standifird from Bradley University was honorary chair for this year’s walk.
In an effort to reach out to brain tumor and cancer survivors and help raise funds for research, Mark Linder founded the Walk for the Mind in 2003. While Mark died in 2005 at age 31 from brain cancer, the Walk continues – coordinated entirely by volunteers, many of whom themselves are brain cancer survivors. The Mark Linder Walk for the Mind continues to be instrumental in bringing individuals together to create a network of support for survivors, families who have lost loved ones, and those that are united in raising money, supporting others, and funding research to make a difference.
All funds raised support research at the College of Medicine in Peoria toward understanding the mechanisms that make brain cancers and tumors grow and invade healthy tissue. To date, the organization has raised over $803,000 for brain cancer research at UICOMP since the Walk began in 2003. Learn more about the Walk by visiting www.marklinderwalkforthemind.org.