CHICAGO (WLS) — Runners, walkers, and supporters of leukemia causes, including survivors, are invited to participate with the Chicago community on Saturday, May 31, at the 31st annual ABC7 Gibbons Run at Montrose Harbor.
Proceeds from the event benefit the Leukemia Research Foundation.
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Learn more and register today at leukemiarf.org/gibbons5k.
Who: Runners, walkers, volunteers, and leukemia supporters and survivors
What: 31st Annual ABC7 Gibbons Run
When: Saturday, May 31 at 8:30 a.m. (Live broadcast on ABC7)
Where: Montrose Harbor, Chicago, Illinois
Purpose: The funds raised at this event will support the Leukemia Research Foundation, the largest nonprofit organization in the United States that is dedicated entirely to funding research on leukemia.
The 2025 ABC7 Gibbons Run offers a variety of options such as a chip-timed 5K run, a 3K walk, a Kids Dash, and a unique Tiny Trot for children aged 3 and under. Following the events, attendees can enjoy a celebration at Montrose Harbor featuring food, drinks, music, and vendor tents.
Named after the legendary ABC7 reporter Jim Gibbons, the event has raised nearly $2M since it started to help fund critical medical research.
“We strongly value our long-standing partnership with the Leukemia Research Foundation, and deeply appreciate their ongoing efforts to find a cure for leukemia,” said John Idler, ABC7 president and general manager. “By supporting this event and leukemia research, we honor the memory of our colleague, Jim Gibbons, while making a meaningful difference in the lives of those impacted by the disease.”
“We are grateful to ABC7 Chicago for their steadfast commitment to this event and to our partnership,” said Kevin Radelet, executive director of the Leukemia Research Foundation. “With their help, we are able to continue to accelerate the development of new and better treatments, spark real innovation, and move closer to our ultimate goal of helping to find a cure for leukemia.”
Online registration for the event is available at leukemiarf.org/gibbons5k. Participants can register as an individual or team, and choose to participate in-person or virtually.
Registration is free for all leukemia patients and survivors. Event sponsorships are still available and volunteers are still needed. Contact Arleen Boudart at arleen@leukemiarf.org to learn more.
The run is a cause that means a lot to Olympic mountain biker Haley Batten, who is joining her mom in the climb of her life.
Batten won her first mountain biking title as a preteen in Idaho and quickly set her sights higher.
“I remember that was the year of the London Olympics so 2012… and I remember they brought up the Olympians, and I saw them on the podium, and I realized one, this is an Olympic sport, I want to be an Olympian.”
Last year, it became reality. Batten won silver in Paris, the first ever Olympic mountain biking medal for Team USA.
“It is very surreal and unbelievable,” Batten said. “The Olympics is such a magical. Big goals, big ambitions. To even get that medal around your neck. Things played out that I could.”
Just months later, her mom was diagnosed with leukemia.
“It really was going from the highest of highs, this big goal, and then, whoa, full shock. Super low moment for all of us, but scrambling to learn how to even manage what’s going on,” Batten said.
That’s where Batten connected with the Leukemia Research Foundation, whose patient-centered mission to finding a cure suddenly mattered more than anything to the Batten family.
“I’ve learned so much through this process,” Batten said. “Such a great group of people behind the scenes, fighting hard to have another cure, which I believe and they believe is right around the corner.”
Batten put her racing career on hold until this month, getting back on the bike, hoping to conquer more than just the next mountain.
“I’m really proud to partner with the LRF, and their families, to fight hard, to be humble and to live fully,” Batten said. “She’s been so inspiring throughout this whole process… racing for that cause, racing for her… allowing myself to be fueled by that energy. Fill my wings, but also hers.”
About the Leukemia Research Foundation
The Leukemia Research Foundation, headquartered in Northfield, Illinois, is committed to funding innovative leukemia research worldwide and supporting people affected by leukemia. Since its founding in 1946, more than $90M has been raised to pursue better treatments and the ultimate cure for leukemia. For more information, visit the Leukemia Research Foundation’s website at leukemiarf.org.
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