This Summer’s Downtown Sailing Series Kicks Off By Racing For a Cure
The 23rd annual Leukemia Cup Regatta will be held on June 10, 2017 this year, and boaters who want to participate should register. For the uninitiated, the event centers around a fun-oriented sailboat race that involves dressing up for the theme. This year’s theme is Retro Regatta, sailing through the decades of the past towards a future without blood cancer, aka, break out the disco gear! The race also kicks off the popular Downtown Sailing Series out of the Elliott Bay Marina in Seattle. The after-party at the Seattle Yacht Club outstation is a longtime favorite as well.
Proceeds from the fundraising efforts, which includes race fees for the regatta, go to the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society (LLS), that supports efforts to combat blood cancer. The fundraising goal of this year is $175,000. Last year’s regatta included 107 boats with hundreds of skippers and crew participants.
The top five fundraising teams and all individuals who raise $1,500 or more by event day will be welcomed into The Commodore’s Club. They will enjoy Palisade’s catering, a private bar, LCR prizes and a designated indoor gathering area. There will be awards given to the top fundraising team, as well as the top corporate team.
Kristina Southard has a personal experience, both with cancer and the regatta that helped save her life. She explains why the Leukemia Cup is importan.
“My cancer diagnosis and treatment was a devastating endeavor to navigate through. Those who offered priceless support and compassion during my care are profoundly close to my heart, and to whom I owe a deep debt of gratitude. This also goes for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society, who was instrumental in navigating through this surreal and seemingly dark, endless journey. I will once again be participating in the Leukemia Cup Regatta this June 10th to fight blood-related cancers,” she says.
When it comes to supporting this cause, no donation is too small. All efforts together will help fund blood cancer research for medications and treatments, which also assist in fighting several other cancers such as stomach and skin cancer, and are being tested in clinical trials for patients with a range of cancers including brain, lung, breast, pancreatic and prostate cancer. LLS also funded drugs like Gleevec, Sprycel, Arinza, Tasigna, and Zolinza, all of which are now being tested for patients with other non-cancer diseases like diabetes, rheumatoid arthritis, and multiple sclerosis.
Likewise, LLS provides multiple services for patients including financial co-pay assistance for expensive chemo medications and financial patient assistance with medical insurance payments and other expensive medical options. “All of which helped me personally. Ultimately, your fundraising and participation will help bring us one step closer to a cure. So please, let’s all collectively fight cancer together,” Southard says.
There are many great ways to participate. If you have a boat and wish to race your boat, you can register as a skipper for $200 or as a team for $300 if you already have crew. Registering as a crew member is $25 and you’ll be assigned to a skipper looking for crew. If you just want to enjoy the after-party and festivities, party guest tickets are $20. If you’d like to make a donation to a team or participant, or if you have any questions, reach out to Sarah Morningstar at Sarah.Morningstar@lls.org or visit leukemiacup.org.
