LILA MAY SCHOW appears on a banner at the third annual Tutu Trot in the above photo. The event was held in memory of the 5-year-old Hood River girl who passed away last September after a three-year battle with neuroblastoma. This year, the Tutu Trot went to benefit other kids suffering from cancer, with proceeds from the event going to the Solving Kids’ Cancer nonprofit.
Members of the Hood River Valley High School Asian Club present 1,000 origami cranes folded in Lila May’s memory. Left to right are Kara Kiyokawa, Emily Burns and Camaryn Chambers; not pictured, Erin Sutherland. At right,
LILA MAY SCHOW appears on a banner at the third annual Tutu Trot in the above photo. The event was held in memory of the 5-year-old Hood River girl who passed away last September after a three-year battle with neuroblastoma. This year, the Tutu Trot went to benefit other kids suffering from cancer, with proceeds from the event going to the Solving Kids’ Cancer nonprofit.
Ben Mitchell
Wide smiles are plentiful as children take off at the start of the kids’ race.
Ben Mitchell
Ruby, a boxer owned by Casey Nicol, sports a white tutu for the event.
Ben Mitchell
Heidi Hall, Lila May’s mother, also addresses the crowd, thanking everyone for attending the event.
Ben Mitchell
Members of the Hood River Valley High School Asian Club present 1,000 origami cranes folded in Lila May’s memory. Left to right are Kara Kiyokawa, Emily Burns and Camaryn Chambers; not pictured, Erin Sutherland. At right,
The third annual Lila May Tutu Trot was held this Saturday and while plenty of runners showed up in tutus as they did in 2014 and 2015, this year’s Tutu Trot, sadly, was missing its princess.
As most people reading this article undoubtedly know, Lila May Schow, whom the Tutu Trot is named after, passed away last September at the age of 5 after a three-year battle with neuroblastoma — a form of cancer only found in children. She passed away just two months after her epic, princess-themed birthday party in downtown Hood River drew some 600 people and international news coverage, where she captured the hearts of millions.
The Tutu Trot was once used to help raise money for the medical bills Lila May’s family incurred while she crisscrossed the country for cancer treatments. Runners showed up in tutus to support Lila May at the event, as they were one of her favorite things to wear. With Lila May’s passing, this year her family decided to raise money to help other children afflicted with the disease.
Proceeds from Saturday’s event, which drew 150 people, will be donated to Solving Kids’ Cancer, a nonprofit that solely funds childhood cancer research. Lila May and her family worked closely with the organization and Lila May’s mom, Heidi Hall, felt it was fitting to donate back to the organization, said Jennifer Lorenzen, a friend of the family who has helped coordinate different Lila May events over the past few years.
There weren’t quite as many people there as there were the previous two years, but Lorenzen said that helped create a more “intimate” event.
“Everyone there was truly there because Lila had impacted their life in some way,” she noted.
Saturday morning saw warm and sunny weather for the 3K/5K/10K walk/run, which also featured a kids’ race. The Hood River Valley High School Asian Club kicked things off with a donation of 1,000 colorful paper origami cranes that had been folded by the class in Lila May’s memory. Members of the club explained that the cranes come from a Japanese legend that says that anyone who folds 1,000 of the origami cranes will be granted a wish by the crane. The club’s cranes represented a wish for “a life of happiness, peace and prosperity for Lila May’s loved ones.”
Hall spoke at the event, sharing her thoughts on life before and after Lila May’s passing, and thanked everyone for attending.
“Our hearts are full,” she said.
Lorenzen also spoke, noting that the war against childhood cancer was far from over.
“Although are hearts are broken and shattered… we continue to fight the battle against childhood cancer,” she said.
And though Lila May was not alive to run in the event as she had in past years, a banner with her face showing those familiar big blue eyes and blonde hair greeted people at the Tutu Trot.
“She who leaves a trail of glitter is never forgotten,” it read. “Love like Lila.”
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Lorenzen wanted to offer a special thanks to the following: “Don and Bonnie Benton; Bob and Sandy Camillucci; Play Works; Francois and Rene at Columbia Graphics; Chad, Paul, Michael, and Jeff; Rosauers; Hood River Lions; Keith Clarke at Explore the Gorge and all the volunteers who helped out before, during, and after the event.”
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Though the Tutu Trot has passed, people are still welcomed to donate at lilamaytututrot.com. Donations will be accepted until May 21.
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