Bad Blood 5K Run to be held at Siena College

LOUDONVILLE, N.Y. (NEWS10) -The mission of Wicklund Warriors is to support those diagnosed with blood cancers, in any way they need. Over the course of nine years, the group has helped 127 families get back on their feet.

As a survivor of leukemia, Deanna Wicklund wants to help others struggling through similar experiences. “Ten years ago I was diagnosed with leukemia. Soon after that, we started fundraising to provide financial assistance to people with blood cancers and the Capital Region.”

The Bad Blood Club recently gained a new member, five-year-old Jack Gannon. Diagnosed with B-Cell Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia, the little guy is going to be one of the recipients of their newest fundraiser, the Bad Blood 5K Run.

Jack’s dad Peter will be in the race along with his mom to show support for their son. “Not a lottery you ever want to win. Our experience is that from his diagnoses, it’s isolating. Not a lot of parents are going through it,” described Peter Gannon.

On August 10, Siena College will kick off the run starting at 6p.m. This kind of event is a change of pace for the group. “We have shifted from the traditional fundraising evening galas. We felt we weren’t reaching the populations that we serve so we decided to go and try a 5K,” explained Wicklund.

When it comes to keeping his spirits up, Jack likes to play Mario Party and Pokémon. He says some of his favorite pocket monsters include Eevee, Umbreon, Charizard and Mewtwo.

Wicklund says being able to help families is what drives her charity, whether recipients need gas money for travel to treatment or emotional support. She hopes that every member of the Bad Blood Club doesn’t feel alone on the road to recovery.

For more information on the 5K, head over to the Wicklund Warriors events page here.