FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
FESTIVAL OF MILES TO BENEFIT RUNNER WITH BRAIN TUMOR
St. Louis (April 24, 2013) – Big River Running Company has announced that proceeds from the sixth annual Festival of Miles presented by Under Armour will go to the family of Brad Eastman. Eastman, a lifelong runner and endurance athlete, was diagnosed with a baseball sized brain tumor this spring. The Festival of Miles, a track meet that will take place on Thursday evening, May 30 at Saint Louis University High School, has raised more than $30,000 for athletes in need over the past five years.
A healthy young man in his early 30s, [Belleville resident] Eastman, noticed some strange symptoms while training for a marathon earlier this year. It was after Eastman ran a PR in his marathon that he was diagnosed with a baseball sized brain tumor in his right temporal lobe. Brad underwent a long and technically challenging surgery on April 12 to remove the brain tumor. While the surgery went well and the doctors were able to remove 95% of the tumor, there is still a lot of work to do to get Brad back to his normal, running self. A recent pathology report indicated that the tumor is cancerous and chemotherapy is not an option to treat the remaining 5% of the tumor in Eastman’s brain. The doctors will be monitoring the remaining part of the tumor closely.
Big River Running owner Matt Helbig said, “The running community in St. Louis is a passionate group. Whether or not they know Brad Eastman, they know he is a runner and they want to support him. Brad has a young family and was completely healthy. Knowing that a health situation like this could happen to any of us makes it even more compelling to support this family and the Festival of Miles. That’s what’s great about this meet! No only does if offer the chance to help a fellow runner, but spectators get to see the some amazing talent at both the high school and elite level. The energy of this meet is like no other and the spirit of the mission, helping athletes in need, truly comes alive!”
The event features 11 races and will kick off with the GO! St. Louis Healthy Kid’s Mile, a race open to all elementary and middle school students, at 6:30 p.m. Entry fee for spectators is just $5 with all proceeds going to the Eastman family. Fans will be treated to some of the best boys and girls milers and sprinters from across the Midwest competing in the MoMileSplit.com High School All Star Miles and the Saint Louis Injury and Rehab 100 meter dashes. There is also a junior high division, a masters men’s race and a corporate relay where local companies will try to earn the unofficial title of St. Louis’ fastest business. The night concludes with two professional races; the Speed Factory Athletics Women’s 800 and the St. Louis Track Club Men’s Mile which has produced nine sub-four-minute miles in the last three years.
The Festival of Miles Foundation is a non-profit organization whose mission is to promote the sport of track and field and give back to athletes in need. Each year all proceeds from ticket sales go to an athlete in need. For more information, visit https://stlfestivalofmiles.com.
Members of the media interested in learning more about the Festival of Miles are encouraged to contact Ben Rosario at ben.s.rosario@gmail.com or call 314.494.9725.
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