Runners and walkers will gather at Deering Estate Saturday morning for the 19th annual Reason to Run 5K, a race built around a cause that organizers say still doesn't get the attention or funding it deserves: childhood cancer. The event starts at 8 a.m. at 16701 SW 72 Ave. in Miami, with a tree-lined course followed by a post-race party overlooking Biscayne Bay.
The race is put on by Sofia's Hope, the nonprofit founded by Marta Blanco, who serves as its founder and president. According to Miami's Community Newspapers, Blanco has said that cancer remains the number one disease killer of children, even as it receives just four percent of the National Cancer Institute's budget. She has also said that currently available childhood cancer treatments often come at a cost to survivors' long-term quality of life.
Those numbers track with broader research on the disease. Nationally, more than 15,000 children in the United States are diagnosed with cancer every year, according to Sofia's Hope, and the organization notes that 95 percent of survivors face a significant side effect by the time they turn 45. A 2025 report from the American Association for Cancer Research found that 60 percent to more than 90 percent of pediatric cancer survivors develop at least one chronic treatment-related health condition, even as survival rates have climbed sharply over the decades — from 63 percent in the mid-1970s to 87 percent in 2015 through 2021.
A Family Festival With Deep Local Roots
Beyond the run itself, Saturday's event features the Warriors Circle, a gathering space for childhood cancer warriors and their families, according to the race's organizers. Local childhood cancer warriors, siblings, and their families are invited to attend as guests of the race. The post-race celebration at Deering Estate will include food, drinks, music, and activities along with those bay views, per Sofia's Hope's event page.
Several teams have formed specifically in honor or memory of a pediatric cancer patient, and local schools and businesses have launched their own fundraising campaigns tied to the race. Participants who raise $100 will get their registration fee refunded, the organization says, and the first 425 entrants — whether running in person or participating virtually — will receive an official race medal and shirt.
Virtual participants have a wider window to take part, with the option to run or walk anytime from Oct. 31 through Nov. 7, according to Sofia's Hope's race information. Registration currently runs $35 for adults and $30 for anyone under 18, though those prices were set to rise by $10 apiece at midnight Friday, Nov. 6. Organizers are encouraging pre-registration for anyone planning to join.
Funding Research and Year-Round Family Support
Sofia's Hope says the money raised through Reason to Run helps fund lifesaving research and raise awareness while directly helping families, per Blanco. The organization reports it has provided more than $1.7 million in support to the childhood cancer community since its founding — up from the more than $1.3 million it had reported a year earlier and the more than $1.2 million reported in 2024, according to past coverage from Miami's Community Newspapers.
Funds raised through the race support more than ten year-round patient and family programs, along with a commitment to pediatric cardio-oncology through a grant to the University at Buffalo Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, according to the race's RunSignup registration page. The organization's broader mission centers on increasing pediatric cardio-oncology research, raising childhood cancer awareness, and offering that year-round programming for patients and their families.
Named for a Life Cut Short
Sofia's Hope takes its name from Sofia Blanco, who died at age 13, and the organization says it was inspired by her life and death. This year's event marks the 19th annual running of a race that has become a fixture of Miami's charitable calendar, with sponsors including Nicklaus Children's Hospital, RSM, Baptist Health Herbert Wertheim Cancer Institute, KIDZ Medical, and the St. Louis Festival backing this year's edition.
Race information, registration, and donation details are available at sofiashope.org or by calling 954-703-9189.
