Event History

We are all touched by certain events in our lives. Some bring great happiness while others bring great despair. However all life changing events bring opportunities for positive outcomes. In the fall of 2003 the Glio-Blastoff 5K Fun Run/Walk was just a dream. Over the course of 5 months this dream transformed into an amazingly successful reality.

Life dramatically changed for Denise Kimball the evening of July 23, 2003 when she was rushed to the hospital after having a grand mal seizure. Hours later she and her family learned that she had a deadly form of brain cancer, glioblastoma multiforme. Doctors informed her family that Denise had about 6 months to 1 year to live.

During the time of her diagnosis one of Denise's daughters was the president of the Beta Delta Chapter of Eta Sigma Gamma at Eastern Michigan University. This organization is a national health education honorary for men and women in the health education discipline. Although Meghan had faith that her mother would fight her brain cancer in hopes to beat it, Meghan also knew from both the doctor's prognosis and self-research that this horrible disease would probably take her mother's life.

Being an experienced runner, Meghan thought it would be awesome to host a 5K event to raise money to donate to an organization that conducts brain cancer research. The Beta Delta Chapter of Eta Sigma Gamma was actively doing service projects related to health in the community and Meghan decided to purpose this idea to her organization at the first meeting in January 2004. The Beta Delta members were thrilled about the idea and over the short course of 5 months countless hours were put in by Beta Delta members as well as others in the surrounding communities to plan the Glio-Blastoff 5K Fun Run/Walk.

On Saturday, June 5, 2004 event volunteers rose with the sun to prepare for the big day. Over 80 people registered for the event and 79 participants showed up that morning to run and walk in the Glio-Blastoff 5K. Denise Kimball was healthy enough to partake in the event as she started the race with the bullhorn. With the help of those 79 participants, generous sponsors, wonderful companies who donated award prizes and educational materials on cancer, as well as other hard working citizens through out the community this event produced over $5,000.00. Since then, the Glio-Blastoff 5K Fun Run/Walk has raised over $20,000 of which was donated to the American Brain Tumor Association.

In July of 2006 Meghan received a letter from the Board of Directors of the American Brain Tumor Association informing her that a grant was awarded in memory of her mother, Denise Kimball. Kevin Walter, M.D. was awarded the grant, which was used for the research titled: Isolation of Selective Microvascular, Endothelial Cell Targets Critical for Brain Angeogenesis. In June 2007 Meghan went to a research dinner in Lincolnshire, IL to meet Kevin Walter, M.D. as well as many other researchers. Although this event is small on a global scale it is really making a difference. A great abundance of brain tumor research is being conducted thanks to generous donations.

It is often said that when one door closes, another opens. This statement is indeed true. All situations, even the most horrific have some good outcomes. Thousands of people’s lives are changed on a daily basis due to cancer of all forms. However thousands of people are touched by those changes and turn the horrific news of cancer into positive possibilities for others. Denise Kimball is no longer with us, but the life change she went through in her last year here on Earth touched countless lives and will continue to do so as we kick off the 5th Annual Glio-Blastoff 5K Fun Run/Walk.