4th annual ‘Strides’ event raises $3,000 for Institute’s breast cancer research

Madison Wuertz, president of the Austin High School Youth Leadership Club, presents a $3,000 donation on Wednesday to Dr. Yibin Deng, a section leader at The Hormel Institute, to support breast cancer research. Also pictured (left to right) are Youth Leadership members Grace Berke and Jessica Pedersen.

A record turnout in May helped the Austin High School’s Youth Leadership Club top the $10,000 overall fundraising mark in its fourth year of supporting The Hormel Institute’s breast cancer research.
On Wednesday, the club’s leaders presented a $3,000 donation from their 4th annual “Strides for a Cure” 5K run/walk event on May 17 at Austin’s Todd Park, which drew more than 130 runners and walkers and also featured an inaugural five-mile race. The donation was the highest yet for the “Strides” event, bringing the AHS Youth Leadership Club’s overall total to $10,500 donated in support of The Hormel Institute’s cutting-edge breast cancer research.

Strides for a Cure” 5K run/walk from May 17 at Austin’s Todd Park

“It has been so exciting leading this race for four years and watching the community give us so much support to such a great cause,” said senior Madison Wuertz, president of Youth Leadership Club, a student group at Austin High School that is dedicated to performing community wide service throughout the school year.
Wuertz joined fellow Youth Leadership members Jessica Pedersen and Grace Berke, both seniors, along with club adviser Emily Hovland in presenting this year’s donation to Dr. Yibin Deng, one of The Hormel Institute’s section leaders who does breast cancer research. Deng thanked the club for its hard work and generosity in raising vital funds for the Institute’s research.
As with any gift to The Hormel Institute, 100 percent of the donated money will directly fund cancer research.
Breast cancer is second to skin cancer as the most common cancer diagnosed in American women every year. More than 230,000 new cases of breast cancer in women are expected to be diagnosed this year along with over 2,300 new cases in men, according to the National Cancer Institute. An estimated 40,000 women will die in 2014 from breast cancer.