Cancer Camp fundraiser is today

One of the top fundraisers for Iowa’s only “cancer camp” for kids gets underway this morning. The annual Matthew Mason Memorial Run honors a Des Moines boy who died of spinal cord cancer in 1998 at age 11. The event includes a ten-K run, five-K runs and walks and a one-mile fun walk.Tony Timm, spokesman for the Heart Connection Children’s Cancer Programs, says the money raised from the event funds the annual oncology camp for children. It’s a one-of-a-kind camp in Iowa that is for children who’ve been diagnosed, or have had cancer.The program touches about 150 Iowa children who have cancer and 450 family members each year. Timm says the group hosts two weeklong summer camps each year, one for children with cancer and the other for their siblings.The run at Des Moines’ Water Works Park brought more than 500 runners and raised over 15-thousand dollars last year. For more information, surf to “www.childrenscancerprograms.com” or call (515) 243-6239.