Thanksgiving is a day to be thankful for all of the wonderful things we have in life. It can also be a day to be charitable to those who do not exactly have what you do. It can be a rough time of the year for some people. However, you can raise awareness for those less fortunate in many different ways. Whether you provide a charitable donation, or enjoy taking a more active role by volunteering, every contribution is appreciated.
This year on Thanksgiving, Amore Fiori Flowers & Gifts is sponsoring the Harvesting Hope 5K! This friendly but competitive 5K race welcomes all ages, and even offers prizes as runners, and walkers, make their way through Central Park and Westerly Creek. This race benefits research to research the leading cause of life-threatening childhood obesity, but more specifically, Prader-Willi Syndrome (PWS). So, come out, test your legs, and you may even win a great prize as you raise awareness.
Here at Amore Fiori Flowers & Gifts, we believe in raising awareness and benefiting a good cause, such as funding research to end childhood obesity. That is why we are offering great prizes for this charitable event, so be sure to continue reading to learn more about this amazing event:
- What is Prader-Willi Syndrome? This genetic disorder occurs in about 1 in 15,000 births. It holds no bias to one gender, race, or ethnicity, and is recognized as the most common genetic cause of life-threatening childhood obesity. The symptoms that children experience, likely due to the dysfunction of the hypothalamus, change over time. Early life symptoms have children hypotonic with very low muscle tone, and tend to need tube feeding, as they are unable to breastfeed. As they grow older, strength and muscle tone generally improve, but important motor milestones are delayed. Toddlers then become more prone to gain weight easily. Once in childhood, an unregulated appetite and easy weight gain become characterized as the later stages of PWS. These children lack normal hunger satiety cues which can cause excessive eating, and they may experience many other complications. This is a serious genetic disorder that needs our attention, so that we can work on ending it.
- Is there a child-friendly race? There are two races being held that day, the 5K and the Kid’s Fun Run. Anyone is welcome to run the 5K, regardless of age, however, the Kid’s Fun Run is available for children. This is a short and fun 1K run, free to children 10 and under, and is paved so that little feet can avoid mud, ice, and snow that could be on the ground.
- Online registration is over. Can I sign up on race day? Now that online registration has ended, you may realize that you forgot to sign up. This event is for such a great cause, so it is likely that you will not want to miss out on helping raise awareness. Come race day, you can register at the race. However, due to limited space, it is recommended that you arrive early to secure a spot in the run.
Donating and raising awareness for PWS is a great way to fund research to end a life-threatening disorder. Here at Amore Fiori Flowers & Gifts, we are proud to sponsor such an important event, and look forward to seeing you there on race day! So be sure to contact us for details.