A look around last year’s Magic for Maddie 5K Walk and Carnival at Ashley Reservoir in Holyoke.
Photo credit: Kim O’Leary Photography and Magic for Maddie
HOLYOKE — Continuing off the momentum built up in September for Childhood Cancer Awareness Month, nonprofit organization Magic for Maddie will host the fifth annual Magic for Maddie 5K Family Fun Walk & Carnival on Saturday, Oct. 17 in at Ashley Reservoir in Holyoke, bringing the community together once again to support pediatric cancer research and families in the fight.
The organization was founded in memory of Madeline “Maddie” Schmidt, who died from diffuse intrinsic pontine glioma on Dec. 31, 2022, following a 10-month battle with the disease. Magic for Maddie has raised $1.3 million to fuel DIPG research since that same year.
Funding goes directly to support families battling pediatric cancer and has made a meaningful impact in the community, providing more than $500,000 in direct financial assistance to more than 300 families facing the financial and emotional burdens of childhood cancer. 90% of children diagnosed with DIPG die within two years of diagnosis with the median survival time being 11 months and an overall survival rate of less than 1%.
“When this event first started, it was really about showing Maddie just how much love and support she had surrounding her. We saw her get to see how many people in her community were rallying behind her, fighting alongside her, and reminding her that she was never alone,” said Nora Schmidt, Maddie’s mother. “Five years later, the event has grown into something so much bigger. It’s still a day to remember Maddie, honor her beautiful life, and spread the sparkle that she brought to all of us. But it has also become a day about giving back and helping other families who are facing the unimaginable.”
Schmidt added that so many people, from the doctors who treated Maddie, to those from their life and community helped the family navigate through the unimaginable challenges that came as Maddie fought, and now through the organization they have the opportunity to do that for other families.
“For me, this day has really become a day about hope,” she added. “Hope for these families. Hope for better treatments. Hope that things can change. And hope that when a community comes together, we can really make a difference.”
The 5K walk and carnival will once again take place at Ashley Reservoir in Holyoke, and the Holyoke Elks with a 1 p.m. shotgun start. Along with the regular festivities, this year’s event will see a performance by Trailer Trash, as well as a few fun surprises along the way, all while still keeping the heart of the day centered around Maddie, the community and the organization’s mission.
To register, visit magicformaddie.com/5k.
“One of the most meaningful parts of our event for me is our Heroes Tribute. It’s a moment when we come together to honor the childhood cancer warriors who are still in the fight, celebrate the survivors who have fought so incredibly hard, and remember our sweet angels who left this earth far too soon,” said Schmidt. “What makes it even more special is seeing families that Magic for Maddie has been able to help come back to the event year after year. To see them there, spreading Maddie’s sparkle and helping us support the next family means more to me than I can ever really explain. There is such a powerful sense of community among these families, and together, we are making a huge difference in the lives of so many.”
Schmidt added this year’s goal is to raise $500,000 through the event and the public at large is invited to come join the 5K and carnival event and experience the magic of Magic for Maddie.
“Come celebrate Maddie, honor these incredible children and families, and help us continue to make a difference,” Schmidt said. “Because at the end of the day, every dollar raised, every family helped, and every step forward in research is part of Maddie’s legacy. It’s her sparkle continuing to shine, and I couldn’t be more proud of what we are all doing together in her name.”
The organization’s efforts stretch far and wide as this summer the organization participated in the WEEI/NESN Jimmy Fund Radio-Telethon where Maddie’s cousins presented a $10,000 gift to Jimmy Fund Co-Chairs Tom Caron and Brock Holy to support the work of Dr. Mariella Filbin and her laboratory at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute. Filbin and her team are pursuing new approaches to understanding and treating DIPG and diffuse midline glioma, including research into treatment resistance, radiation therapies and new ways to target pediatric brain tumors.
The radio-telethon gift followed a summer of support for the same research. Through the Bikes Fight Cancer and PDC Incorporated Pan-Mass Challenge teams, more than $300,000 was raised in Maddie’s memory to support Filbin’s lab.
The organization’s commitment extends to advocacy, as during Childhood Cancer Awareness Month in September, Magic for Maddie joined organizations and families from across the country in Washington D.C. to raise awareness and advocate for greater attention and resources for pediatric cancer. The organization served as a Presenting Charity Sponsor of the BrainStorm Summit and a Silver Sponsor of CureFest.
Maddie was among the 6,000 children honored on the CureFest Tribute Wall, which recognizes children who have died from pediatric cancer as well as those who are fighting or have survived the disease. The organization also participated in the Candlelight Vigil, where families gathered to speak the names of children they have lost to pediatric cancer.
In another tribute, a pair of Maddie’s purple Converse sneakers was displayed among 1,800 pairs of shoes at Constitution Gardens on the National Mall, each representing a child lost to cancer. Beyond research and advocacy, Magic for Maddie supports families directly through its Helping Families in the Fight initiative, which provides financial assistance to families navigating childhood cancer treatment and the expenses that accompany it.
Maddie’s aunt and Executive Director of Magic for Maddie Jenn Capshaw said Childhood Cancer Awareness Month is an important opportunity to remind people why continued investment in research and support for families’ matter.
“Every child deserves more hope, more time and the chance for a cure,” said Capshaw. “We will continue fighting for Maddie and for every family who hears the words, ‘your child has cancer.”
As the organization continues prepping for the fifth annual 5K walk and carnival, Schmidt said the event has become a great reminder of the success seen from the organization’s efforts all in Maddie’s memory.
“Every single year this community amazes me. People continue to show up for Maddie and for our mission in ways I never could have imagined when this all began. And this year, as we celebrate our fifth year, we’re on pace for our biggest event yet and to reach our maximum capacity,” said Schmidt. “That means so much to me because it tells me that Maddie’s impact continues to grow. Her life continues to inspire people to show up, to help others and to make a difference. And as her mom, there really isn’t anything more meaningful than seeing her sparkle continue to spread.”
To learn more about Magic for Maddie and its work visit magicformaddie.com.
