HATTIESBURG, Miss.—Forrest General Cancer Center will host its fifth annual Fuel to Fight Cancer event Oct. 17 to help ease the transportation burden for South Mississippi cancer patients traveling to treatment. 

The event will begin at 7:30 a.m. at 301 S. 28th Ave. Participants can choose from a 5-mile run, a 5K or a 2-mile walk. A free children’s fun run will also be held in the Healing Garden. 

Shannon Vega, executive director of radiology and oncology at Forrest General, said the event was created in 2022 after staff identified transportation as a major barrier to treatment. 

“We knew our greatest barrier to care for patients was transportation needs,” Vega said. 

Patients receiving radiation therapy may live in any of the 19 counties served by the cancer center and often travel to Hattiesburg several times a week for five to six weeks. The Fuel to Fight Fund helps cover transportation costs for patients who need assistance. 

Vega said demand remains high, with the cancer center’s $5,000 monthly transportation budget running out each month. 

Kecia Jones-Harris, manager of radiation oncology at Forrest General, said the event reflects the community’s commitment to patients. 

The addition of a 5-mile run this year commemorates the event’s fifth anniversary while recognizing the endurance required of patients undergoing cancer treatment. 

“A lot of times it’s not a short course that they have to go through,” Jones-Harris said. “It could be chemo. It could be radiation. It’s not going to be a short treatment.” 

Jones-Harris said the event offers more than a race, with volunteers, sponsors and supporters helping local cancer patients continue treatment. 

“There’s a place for everyone here,” said Anna Harrison, oncology coordinator at Forrest General. 

Vega said participation has grown from approximately 150 people in the event’s first year to nearly 700 this year, reflecting continued community support. 

Organizers encourage residents to participate, volunteer, sponsor or cheer on runners and walkers to help support cancer patients throughout South Mississippi. 

Those interested in registering or learning more about the event can visit the Fuel to Fight Cancer registration page. 

This article first appeared on RHCJC and is republished here under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.



Aiden Le, a native of Hattiesburg, Mississippi, is a senior at Sacred Heart Catholic High School. Aiden wants to help influence social impact through explorations in media and writing. Aiden is a reporter for the RHCJC’s Southeast Mississippi Planner.

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