Trucker Dukes Memorial 5K Proceeds Awarded to Maui’s Kahalau Au Hoon
Kahalau Au Hoon. Photo provided by the Au Hoon family.
Part of the proceeds from the Trucker Dukes Memorial 5K held on Saturday, March 17, 2018 were awarded to Kahalau Au Hoon, a 4-year old Wailuku girl battling neuroblastoma. The 5K event was held in honor of Trucker Dukes, a three-year-old Maui boy who courageously battled Stage 4 neuroblastoma before passing away in 2017. The 5k family-friendly, community event attracted over 500 participants, including “virtual runners” from around the world.
UVSC President, Jamil Newirth, along with Trucker’s father Joshua Dukes and sons Jedi and Mack Dukes visited the Au Hoon family in Wailuku to deliver the check and spend time with little Kahalau who was home briefly between her cancer treatments on Oahu. The Au Hoon family says they are grateful and that the money will be used to help pay medical bills as Kahalau enters her second year of treatment for neuroblastoma.
The Trucker Dukes Memorial 5K was organized by volunteers of UVSC, a Hawaii-based 501(c)(3) non-profit helping cancer fighters live on. UVSC was founded in 2015 by Maui natives Jamil Newirth, a terminal GBM cancer survivor, and Chris Thibaut, whose father founded TS Restaurants and passed away from cancer in 1998. UVSC raises money for individuals diagnosed with cancer by bringing together a community of resources to support them, while also helping fund innovative research for a cure.
The 5K run and 1-mile walk was non-competitive and was organized as a celebration of Trucker’s life. The 5k held at Old Maui High School brought the entire community together for a day of family fun in support of those fighting cancer.
Runners take off at the start of the Trucker Dukes Memorial 5K on March 17. Photo by Roy Guerrero.
About UVSC
UVSC’s mission is to provide hope by raising funds for individuals fighting cancer, as well as supporting cutting-edge research for a cure. UVSC stands for U vs Cancer, but also Us vs Cancer. The dual meaning highlights how important it is for a community to rally around those fighting this awful disease. UVSC was inspired by the community who took it upon themselves to organize events and support its founder after he was diagnosed with terminal stage IV Glioblastoma brain cancer and given only 17 months to live. UVSC was founded to help others facing this unimaginable situation and with no salaries or office costs, more of the money raised goes directly to those in need.
