[Congressional Record Volume 143, Number 62 (Tuesday, May 13, 1997)]
[Senate]
[Pages S4389-S4390]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                 LAUREN'S RUN AGAINST PEDIATRIC CANCER

  Mr. COVERDELL. Mr. President, it is a great honor for me to draw the 
attention of my distinguished colleagues

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to a very special event which will take place in Atlanta this coming 
Sunday, May 18--the Fifth Annual Lauren's Run.
  Lauren's Run is a fantastic kids-only fun run which is held every 
year at Zoo Atlanta. The purpose of the event is to raise funds for the 
Lauren Zagoria Pediatric Cancer Research Fellowship at City of Hope 
National Medical Center in Duarte, CA. The fellowship assists in the 
fight against pediatric cancer in all its forms through advanced 
research and clinical treatments at City of Hope, an institution 
renowned for the compassionate care it brings to children suffering 
from life-threatening diseases.
  Mr. President, all of us in this body have undoubtedly devoted 
ourselves at one time or another to worthy causes and humanitarian 
endeavors. But in my opinion, Lauren's Run is a truly special cause, 
and this is so for two reasons.
  First, because it honors a very special and beautiful little girl 
named Lauren Zagoria who was diagnosed when she was only 21 months old 
with neuroblastoma, a rare and fatal form of pediatric cancer. Lauren's 
parents, Janis and Marvin Zagoria, watched as their precious daughter 
was transformed not only by the ravages of the disease, but also by the 
ordeal of radiation treatments, bone marrow biopsies, and surgery. As 
Janis and Marvin have written about Laura, ``She never complained; she 
never quit; she never stopped loving or trusting those who cared for 
her. After 14 months of struggling, the disease was just too big for 
one little girl.''
  Lauren's Run was borne of that child's tragic and painful struggle. 
Determined to honor Lauren's life and to sustain her legacy, Janis and 
Marvin Zagoria began to lay the groundwork for the children's run just 
2 months after her death in March 1992. The first Lauren's Run was held 
in 1993.
  I will have the honor of attending the Fifth Annual Lauren's Run on 
May 18, and I will be presenting an American Hero award to Janis and 
Marvin Zagoria on that occasion. They are truly two wonderful points of 
light--people who inspire others in their community to do what is right 
on behalf of those in need.
  Mr. President, the other reason that I believe Lauren's Run is a 
special cause is because little Lauren Zagoria could have been any 
child in America today. We owe it to Lauren and to all the children we 
know and love to do everything in our power to eradicate the scourge of 
pediatric cancer. At City of Hope, pioneering work is underway to 
increase the long-term survival rate of children suffering from such 
illnesses. There is hope indeed that one day we may overcome the 
tragedy of pediatric cancer--provided that we open our hearts and, yes, 
our pocketbooks to enable research to discover the cures which are 
surely within reach.
  Mr. President, I ask all of my colleagues to join me in honoring the 
memory of Lauren Zagoria and the work of two great Americans, Janis and 
Marvin Zagoria. And I ask that this body recognize the special 
significance and importance of the Fifth Annual Lauren's Run on May 18 
in Atlanta.

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