Big Heroes for Little Heroes: A Community United for Children With Cancer
Originally published on Aflac Newsroom
On a crisp September morning in Columbus, Georgia, the city’s bravest laced up their boots — not for duty, but for a cause. Firefighters and law enforcement officers ran shoulder to shoulder in full gear during the Firefighters 5K, a powerful show of solidarity for children facing cancer. The event, benefiting CURE Childhood Cancer, was more than a race — it was a moving tribute to courage, resilience and community.
Among the crowd was 3-year-old Charlotte Williams, a Columbus native currently undergoing treatment for leukemia. Wearing her CURE T-shirt, Charlotte watched in awe as local heroes ran in her honor. Her parents, overwhelmed with emotion, expressed deep gratitude for the support shown to their daughter and others like her. It was a moment that captured the heart of the event and the mission behind it.
CURE Childhood Cancer has long supported families in and around Columbus. Through hospital partnerships and referrals from social workers and nurses, CURE ensures that every family facing childhood cancer receives comprehensive care. This includes emergency financial assistance, counseling for patients and their families, transportation and lodging help, bereavement support, and more. Currently, CURE is actively serving 111 families in the Columbus region — families in treatment, in survivorship and those grieving unimaginable loss.
The Firefighters 5K features three divisions: firefighters in full gear, law enforcement and military, and a community division open to all. It’s a celebration of strength, unity and compassion — and a chance for the Columbus community to rally around its youngest fighters.
Aflac, a proud supporter of this event, has longstanding, unwavering commitment to children with cancer and blood disorders. Since 1995, Aflac agents, employees and The Aflac Foundation, Inc. have given more than $191 million to The Aflac Cancer and Blood Disorders Center. Learn more about Aflac’s longstanding dedication for children and families facing these conditions by visiting AflacChildhoodCancer.org.
Together, we can be heroes for the children who need us most.
