Ready, Set, Start Your Undies

Bonney Lake dad and Federal Way PE coach Pat Ferguson never liked running. But, when his father-in-law Galen Peterson was diagnosed with colon cancer about five years ago, he figured it was time to lace up his tennis shoes and support the cause.

“My father-in-law has been going through this battle, and we are trying to do more things to support him,” said Ferguson. “We are running for him because he is always so positive. Whenever we have a bad day, we think about him and what he went through.”

This weekend, Ferguson and Team G-Unit, made up of Peterson’s family and friends, will join hundreds of other cancer survivors and their supporters at the Undy 5000 5k Fun Run and Walk, sponsored by the Colon Cancer Alliance (CCA), a national patient advocacy organization dedicated to ending the suffering caused by colon cancer.

Throughout the year, the 5K takes place in different cities across the country. The goal of each event is to educate the public about colon cancer, promote screenings and get people talking about the disease.

It also generates money to support and build the CCA’s national and local patient support and innovative public awareness programs.

The event is scheduled for 9 a.m., Aug 20 at Cheney Stadium. Runners and walkers will display their boxers proudly to show their support.

Ferguson will run with his wife Melody and their two children, Blake (2) and Caden (4), will walk with Peterson and his wife, Shelly.

Marathons became a family affair four years ago, when they first signed up for the Mercer Island Rotary Half Marathon, now a family tradition. The group even made Team G-Unit T-shirts that look like the old Supersonics logo. For Undy 5000, they'll sport matching undies.

“We coined ‘G-Unit’ a few years ago, for Galen,” said Ferguson. “And we chose the Sonics because he is a huge basketball fan."

You can check out Team G-Unit's group on Facebook or make a donation to the CCA in his name here.

So if you're up for a challenge this weekend, give the 5k a try. Space is still available. Don't forget to bring your underwear!

Here are the details:

WHAT: Tacoma Undy 5000 5K run/walk

WHEN: 9 a.m., Aug. 20.

WHERE: Cheney Stadium-Home of the Tacoma Rainiers, 2501 South Tyler Street, Tacoma

WHAT ELSE:

A person dies of colon cancer every 10 minutes. According to the American Cancer, almost 142,000 new cases of colon cancer will be diagnosed, and almost 50,000 deaths are expected in this year. The Undy 5000 5K highlights the importance of timely colon cancer screening and provides valuable information for those already affected by the disease.

Although many people may consider colon cancer an embarrassing topic of conversation, this is one talk that could save a life. In fact, through recommended screening, this cancer can be caught early when treatment is most effective — or even prevented altogether when pre-cancerous polyps are detected and removed. Talking with your doctor about colon cancer is essential to ensuring optimal screening, prevention and early detection, and treatment.

FOR MORE INFO: Visit www.undy5000.org