Loveland-based CancerFree KIDS wants area residents to walk, run or bike 100 miles in September and raise $1 million for childhood cancer research along the way.
The nonprofit's 2026 100 Mile Challenge, presented by ProMach, runs Sept. 1–30 during Childhood Cancer Awareness Month. Participants pick any activity that gets them moving (walking, running, biking, swimming, even gardening) and log 100 miles over 30 days while raising at least $100 each.
Registration is $25 and includes a challenge t-shirt, a personal fundraising page and engagement activities throughout the month. Participants can sign up as individuals, form a community team with friends and family, or enter the Corporate Competition. Four winning teams will have a 2026 CancerFree KIDS research grant named in their honor.
A Cincinnati Kickoff Party on Sept. 1, from 4–8 p.m. at the Lindner Family Tennis Center in Mason kicks off the month with a first-mile walk alongside CancerFree KIDS Champions, a pickleball tournament, games and family activities. On-site registration will also be available.
Last year's challenge raised more than $700,000, with participants collectively completing more than 209,000 miles. The 2026 goal: $1 million.
"The 100 Mile Challenge is about proving that small steps can create extraordinary change," executive director Jill Brinck said in the campaign announcement. She said every participant becomes part of funding research that gives children and families hope.
That funding targets a real gap. According to CancerFree KIDS, less than 8% of federally funded cancer research focuses on childhood cancers, and only 76 FDA-approved drugs exist specifically for pediatric patients, compared to 700 for adults. Forty percent of childhood cancer survivors develop significant health issues, often from the harshness of existing treatments.
CancerFree KIDS, founded in 2002, has awarded 265 research grants totaling $12.5 million since its founding, seeding more than $125 million in subsequent funding for researchers. In November 2025, the organization announced a record $1 million single-year investment in Cincinnati Children's research, its largest grant total ever.
The nonprofit has deep roots in Loveland. A new Jersey Mike's Subs at 10572 Loveland Madeira Road partnered with CancerFree KIDS for its grand opening fundraiser on Aug. 12, and the Loveland Police Officer's Association teamed with the organization for a No Shave November fundraiser in 2021.
Registration is open at CFK100MileChallenge.org.
Coming up
- Tuesday, Sept. 1: 100 Mile Challenge Kickoff Party, 4–8 p.m., Lindner Family Tennis Center, 5460 Courseview Drive, Mason
- Sept. 1–30: 100 Mile Challenge logging period
