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| More than 1,000 people participated in the inaugural Gov. Cellucci Tribute Road Race in 2014. |
Registration is underway for the second annual Governor Cellucci Tribute Road Race on Saturday, July 25, in the late governor’s hometown of Hudson. Proceeds of the race will benefit the UMass ALS Cellucci Fund.
The race is held in tribute to Gov. Paul Cellucci’s long public service career and to support the UMass Medical School fund he created soon after he was diagnosed with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. More than 1,000 runners and walkers participated in the inaugural race last August.
“My grandson Rhys said it best, ‘Welcome to my Grampie’s Race!’” said Jan Cellucci of the race held in her late husband’s honor. “My daughters, grandchildren and I were overwhelmed by the turnout and deeply moved by the runners and walkers’ spirit of joy in continuing together Paul’s valiant last campaign.”
The UMass ALS Cellucci Fund was created to establish an endowment to seed the boldest research ideas in the interdisciplinary laboratories at UMass Medical School under the direction of Robert H. Brown, Jr., DPhil, MD, one of the world’s foremost authorities on ALS, also known as Lou Gehrig’s disease.
Dr. Brown, the Leo P. and Theresa M. LaChance Chair in Medical Research and chair and professor of neurology, continues to make seminal discoveries in identifying gene defects that may be targets for treatment in neuromuscular diseases, which include multiple sclerosis, Parkinson’s, Alzheimer’s and ALS.
The race will begin at 9 a.m. from the Hudson-Concord Elks Lodge 959, where for many years Gov. Cellucci’s father coordinated the annual Cellucci Family Picnic. The flat and fast 5K running course and the 1.5 mile walking course will go through Hudson’s downtown Historic District, passing directly in front of the Hudson Town Hall, where the former governor began his career in public service and where a new Governor Cellucci Memorial Park is being constructed.
Gov. Charlie Baker, Lt. Gov. Karyn Polito and former Gov. Bill Weld are expected to attend. The three grew to know and respect Gov. Cellucci through their time working together closely on Beacon Hill. Jan Cellucci noted that the official State House portrait of her husband now hangs in Lt. Gov. Polito’s office.
“The inaugural race resonated very deeply with the ALS community. I know Paul would have been proud of our family’s continuing determination to raise funds for a breakthrough ALS cure,” Jan Cellucci said.
Visit the Cellucci Fund website at http://www.umassals.com/ to register as a team leader or as an individual runner or walker.
Related links on UMassMedNow:
Cellucci Fund 2015 Boston Marathon team raises money, awareness for ALS research
Video: Inaugural Cellucci tribute race draws huge crowd, supports ALS research at UMMS
