Sisters host 4th annual ski event to benefit cancer research

Cami and Chloe Blount, two sisters from Ludlow, Vermont, were inspired to work together to plan and host a ski event at their local mountain as a tribute to their elementary school teacher who passed away from cancer. Their event, Runs 4 Research (R4R), is a daylong, family-friendly event hosted at Okemo Mountain Resort, where participants are asked to seek sponsor support and compete against one another for the most ski runs throughout the day. Attendees are invited back to a local restaurant at the end of the day to socialize and celebrate their accomplishments with awards, opportunity drawings, and hors d’oeuvres. Cami and Chloe work with their family to donate all proceeds from this event to benefit cancer research at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute and the Jimmy Fund.

“We wanted to do something to help find a cure for cancer and came up with the idea to combine our love for skiing with a fundraiser to help people with this horrible disease,” Cami and Chloe explain. The two sisters have learned that it takes a lot of work to organize this event each year and rely on support from their parents, friends and family, members of their school community, professional skiers in the Vermont area, and businesses within their network. “Getting our friends to help is important,” they say. “Teamwork can help with spreading the word and collecting donations.”

When asked what advice they would give to other youth or teen fundraisers thinking about starting an event to raise money for Dana-Farber, they shared: “Running a fundraiser at a young age is hard, but totally worth it. When it’s over you will know you helped patients in need, and you’ll want to do it again!”

R4R has become a popular and successful event in the Ludlow community. It is now in its fourth year and has helped the Blount sisters donate more than $35,000 since 2018 to support Dana-Farber’s mission. “These sisters are a great example of youth and teen fundraisers doing their part to defy cancer with Dana-Farber Cancer Institute and the Jimmy Fund,” says Katherine Bahrawy, senior assistant director and manager of the Jimmy Fund’s Community Fundraising Event efforts. “We are so grateful that they are a part of the Jimmy FundRaisers team and can’t wait to see what they accomplish in the years ahead with their Runs 4 Research event.”

If you are interested in hosting your own virtual or in-person event for the Jimmy Fund, fill out our online inquiry form or contact our community events team at JimmyFundEvents@dfci.harvard.edu.

Support Dana-Farber patients and families by joining The Dana-Farber Campaign, our ambitious, multi-year fundraising effort to prevent, treat, and defy cancer. The Dana-Farber Campaign will accelerate the Institute’s strategic priorities by supporting revolutionary science, extraordinary care, and exceptional expertise. As a community, we have the power to create a more hopeful, cancer-free future—in Boston and around the world. Together, we can defy cancer at every turn. Learn more about The Dana-Farber Campaign at DefyCancer.org