By DIVYA SUBRAHMANYAM Palisadian-Post Intern ” The fourth “4 Paws for a Cure” walk will be held this Sunday, October 9, at 10 a.m. along Temescal Canyon Road. All proceeds will benefit CureSearch, The National Childhood Cancer Foundation. ”Event registration begins at 9 a.m. and is open to all walkers, for $25, with or without a dog. Participants will gather in the playground area of Temescal Canyon Park, just north of PCH on the East side of Temescal. ”A dog agility demonstration will begin at 9:15, and contests with prizes and free treats for all dogs entered will follow at about 9:30. People can also register on the Web at www.pawswalk.org for $20, and receive pledges for their efforts. ”The two-mile hike, along the sidewalk from PCH to Sunset and back, was started by Palisades residents Steve Gordon and Jaime Wolffe in honor of their daughter, Carlye, who gained complete recovery from cancer diagnosed when she was four years old. She is now 13, and attends St. Matthew’s School. ”Gordon developed this walk as one of the many activities he consults for in his capacity as Senior Advisor for CureSearch, which is part of the National Childhood Cancer Foundation, based in Bethesda, Maryland. In 2004, the organization raised about 65 million dollars, and only 6 percent of the money goes to fundraising expenses, among the lowest of all cancer charities, according to Gordon. ”Once Executive Vice President of Creative Affairs at Viacom Productions, Gordon left the television business last September to pursue this track. In an interview Monday, Gordon told the Palisadian-Post that his “passion to help find a cure for childhood cancer had been a part of my life since Carlye recovered and, as time went on, I realized this was the cause that I wanted to devote my energy to.” ”He recently traveled to Washington, D.C., as he does four to six times a year, to lobby senators and congressmen (such as Henry Waxman, Diane Feinstein, and Barbara Boxer) for more federal funding to support the fight against childhood cancer. These petitions are also supported by Senator Blanche Lincoln of Arkansas, and Congresswoman Deborah Price of Ohio, who lost a daughter to cancer. ”During his visit, Gordon says, “I tell our legislators our story and the story of others less fortunate, and I tell them about the incredible collaborative research effort that CureSearch is undertaking in more than 240 member hospitals in North America.” ”In addition to special trips (such as this visit to the nation’s capital), Gordon plans fundraising and marketing activities for CureSearch in order to support important research projects. He visits CureSearch’s west coast headquarters in Arcadia, California, at least once a week. Also, since CureSearch is an official charity of both the National Hockey League (as well as Major League Baseball), Gordon hopes to attend a hockey game on a “CureSearch Night,” in an official role. ”The inspiration for “4 Paws for a Cure” was born when Carlye was fighting her cancer and received a rescued pound puppy named Lucky. A terrier mix, Lucky has since “provided a great deal of love and comfort to her,” according to Gordon, and Carlye agrees: “I thought everyone with cancer should have a dog, since I could understand what my dog Lucky did for me.” Carlye’s extracurricular activities include dance, soccer, and volleyball, and she participates in as many events as she can that support childhood cancer research, but especially in the upcoming dogwalk. ””4 Paws for a Cure is an amazing event,” she says. “I was a victim of cancer once and I know how it feels. It is very hard to know that you have something that could cause your life to end. I’m proud to be a part of [the walk], knowing that I’m giving others a hope that life will go on.” ”Carlye has an older sister, Evanne, age 15, who attends Palisades High School, and a younger brother Eli, 7, who attends Marquez Elementary. ””With the war in Iraq and, now, [Hurricane] Katrina, both Federal dollars and public donations are becoming harder and harder to obtain,” Gordon says. “That is why events such as ‘4 Paws’ are so important.” ” (Editor’s note: The author recently took part in an L.A. Times high school journalism competition with other members of the Tideline staff at Palisades High. She placed third in news writing.)
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