JERSEY SHORE – As a reporter, I’m asked to cover a number of special events throughout the year: fundraisers, street festivals, etc. I’ve always wondered what it would be like to take part in the event and write the article about my experiences.
Fortunately for you, this is not that article.
There were, however, a few dozen other people who braved the cold weather and ran in their underwear to raise money for the Children’s Tumor Foundation. They assembled at the Beachcomber Bar and Grill in Seaside Heights, spending a few hours on registration, drinks and dancing before the run kicked off.
According to the Children’s Tumor Foundation, NF occurs in approximately 1 in every 2,000 births. NF refers to a group of genetic conditions that cause tumors to grow on nerves. Since there are nerves throughout your body, these conditions affect people differently based on where the tumors are. They could lead to blindness, deafness, bone abnormalities, disfigurement, learning challenges, disabling pain, or cancer.
You might be asking “Why is it Cupid’s Undie Run?”
Well, that’s because it took place close to Valentine’s Day.
You might also be asking “Why run in your underwear?”
Well, for one reason, it makes your event stand out from other fundraisers where everyone keeps their clothes on. People might be more willing to share the event on social media. Certainly, it’s more likely to get press coverage. I wasn’t the only journalist there (The Asbury Park Press staff member also kept his clothes on).
But one of the reasons is deeper than that. Lara Mukabenov was the co-race director with Gael Burman and I’ll let her do the talking now.
“NF can be a disfiguring disease,” Mukabenov said. Those affected tend to stay out of the public eye. The original organizers wanted to give it visibility.
The visible tumors make people feel like they’re always being stared at. The idea behind Cupid’s Undie Run is to show solidarity. No matter what you look like, show off with pride the skin you’re in, and let people stare if they want.
She said they wound up raising about $30,000 for the cause – and that’s definitely something worth looking at.
She explained that her daughter’s tumors experienced a 33% reduction thanks to medicine funded by the organization. “She’s thriving in college.”
“If it wasn’t for the Children’s Tumor Foundation, I wouldn’t have the connections I have now and my daughter wouldn’t have the treatment,” she said.
The race took place the day before a blizzard hit, but thankfully it wasn’t too cold on the Seaside Heights boardwalk. Everyone was wearing underwear, even if it was thermal underwear. Some wore underwear over regular clothes. Someone wore a dinosaur costume because why not?
The first runners took off, following flag waivers. They were followed by a pack of people running and walking quickly. At the end of the procession were a few stragglers who missed the start of the race, and ran up to join it, drink in hand.
Sometimes you need a fun way to draw attention to a worthy cause, whether it’s dressing silly for a fundraiser or throwing jokes into an article about it.
