Bull Run Beginning:
In 2004, a small group of Merrill Lynch employees met to create a signature event for the community. The Merrill Lynch Bull Run 5k Run/Walk and Family Event has currently raised over $190,000 for Nationwide Children's Hospital's Ocean Room; The Institute for Childhood Cancer Research at Nationwide Children's Hospital - through Circle of Friends; and Make-a-Wish Foundation of Central Ohio.
With our Bull Run mission: A Wish, A Hope, A Cure for children in our community; we are dedicated to bring comfort and cures to as many kids as we can reach through our Bull Run event proceeds. The Merrill Lynch local offices are proud to host this event that allows the good people of Central Ohio and surrounding areas to come together for a morning to celebrate kids.
The Bull Run supports 3 charities that are making a difference every day in the lives of children and their families in Central Ohio and around the world.
Circle of Friends:
The Circle of Friends mission is to fund research for the cure of pediatric cancers, while increasing awareness of the need to do so. Compassion and judicious stewardship are critical components in their efforts as they celebrate those who have survived, support those engaged in their battle, and honor those who did not win their fight.
To date, Circle of Friends, has raised nearly $1.5 million dollars for cancer research. A strong partnership with the researchers and staff at Nationwide Children's Hospital has enabled them to work diligently toward a cure for pediatric cancers.
Circle of Friends has been with the Bull Run since our inception in 2004. As our Bull Run continues to grow year after year, we won’t lose sight of who helped us get off the ground. In 2004, Circle of Friends and Children’s Hospital Foundation took us seriously-that we wanted to host yet another avenue for the good people of the Central Ohio and the surrounding community to give towards the fight of cancer.
The Center for Childhood Cancer at Nationwide Children's Hospital Research Institute-funded through Circle of Friends:
The Center for Childhood Cancer is one of 12 Centers of Emphasis at the Research Institute at Nationwide Children's Hospital. More that 12,500 infants, children, and adolescents are diagnosed with cancer annually in this country. Thankfully, 75% of them will be alive in five years - they will be cured. The Center for Childhood Cancer at Nationwide Children's Hospital has helped to pave the way for this remarkable improvement in cure rates for pediatric cancer patients. The ultimate goal is to find the key to treating even the most stubborn, treatment-resistant tumors - always striving to minimize the harmful effects of chemotherapy on young minds and bodies.
A worldwide resource, the Center for Childhood Cancer holds the secrets for scientists and physicians to treat children who will battle cancer in the future.
- It features the country's largest federally-funded pediatric tumor bank, with tissue samples of more than 22,000 American and Canadian children with cancer.
- It provides specimens for cancer research to institutes worldwide.
- It provides a second-opinion service for diagnosis and confirmation of pediatric cancer cases from all of North America.
Significantly, the Center for Childhood Cancer provides the pediatric component of clinical research for The Ohio State University's Comprehensive Cancer Center at the Arthur G. James and Richard J. Solove Research Institute, which is funded by the National Cancer Institute.
The Ocean Room at Nationwide Children's Hospital surgical floor:
A unique toy "store" brightly painted in an underwater ocean theme where every child going into a surgical procedure can pick out a brand new toy to comfort them during pre-operative procedures.
For a child, one of the most frightening experiences he or she can have is going into surgery. To help alleviate some of that anxiety, a group of 11 sixth grade students from Columbus Academy came up with a plan. The Ocean Room is a place where young surgery patients can pick out a toy of their choosing prior to surgery. The student's coined the motto "helping children get over the fear of surgery one toy at a time" to describe the project.
With an average of about 1,000 surgeries performed each month at Nationwide Children's Hospital, the need for such a service is great. And while the toys in the Ocean Room are not extravagant, they make a profound difference for the patients. Often a trip to the Ocean Room can be just the incentive a young patient needs to endure a pre-operative examination and it gives the child a nice memory to hold on to.
In 2007, the Merrill Lynch Bull Run committee saw this project as a wonderful way to support a neat theme - kids helping kids in our community. The Merrill Lynch Bull Run 5K Event has pledged a portion of it's annual proceeds to support the Ocean Room for a five year term equal to $50,000. (2007 – 2011)
Make-a-Wish Foundation - Central Ohio:
Since 1980, the Make-a-Wish Foundation has enriched the lives of children with life-threatening medical conditions through its wish-granting work. The Foundation's mission reflects the life-changing impact that a Make-A-Wish experience has on children, families, referral sources, donors, sponsors and entire communities.
The Make-A-Wish Foundation was founded in 1980 after a little boy, Chris Greicius, realized his heartfelt wish to become a police officer. Since its humble beginnings, the organization has blossomed into a worldwide phenomenon, reaching more that 161,000 children around the world.
As the Foundation continues to mature, its mission will remain steadfast. Wish children of the past, present, and future will have an opportunity to share the power of a wish.
Make-A-Wish joined The Bull Run as a charity of choice in 2005 and year to date our Merrill Lynch hosted event has granted 8 wishes to children in the Central Ohio area.