VIDEO TRANSCRIPT: ‘Pedaling 4 Paige’ Helps Fight Against Pediatric Cancer
Harry Kelly: As 2025 rolls along, over 60 children are expected to be diagnosed with cancer at Upstate Golisano Children’s Hospital by year’s end. But one organization is helping to ease the burden of those patients and their families through an unlikely activity.
Kelly: Amidst the darkness, Paige’s Butterfly Run is helping to bring light to pediatric cancer patients through their annual indoor spinning event: Pedaling 4 Paige. The nonprofit’s executive director, Jennifer Huntley, says it also spreads awareness of the toll a diagnosis can have on those around the patients.
Jennifer Huntley: It’s not just the children, it’s their siblings. It’s their families. It’s the communities they live in. All of these people are affected.
Kelly: The organization was founded in honor of Paige Arnold, a local girl who died after complications from a bone marrow transplant for leukemia in 1994. Over 30 years later, Arnold’s father, Chris, says the nonprofit is hoping to use events like Pedaling 4 Paige or their namesake Butterfly Run to carry on her legacy.
Chris Arnold: I’m getting older. My wife is getting older. We won’t be around forever, but we want the organization to be able to help patients and families as long as they’re needed.
Kelly: Now, Pedaling 4 Paige has brought dozens of people to this Elevate Fitness in DeWitt since 2022. And while many are simply coming to support the fight against pediatric cancer, others like Deanne Pendergast, have a more personal connection to events like this.
Deanne Pendergast: Well, I think it’s important, especially for children, you know, to benefit from this, from the donations. I lost a daughter myself, but she was older. But I know the feeling. And so I appreciate everybody that attended. And it’s great.
Kelly: So far in its history, Paige’s Butterfly Run has raised over $5 million for the Cancer and Blood Disorders Center at Upstate Golisano Children’s Hospital. And there’s no sign of slowing down.
Kelly: Now, the signature Butterfly Run is happening on Saturday, June 7, in downtown Syracuse. You can learn more about how to register and support their cause at PBRUN.org.
SYRACUSE, N.Y. (NCC News) — As 2025 rolls along, over 60 children are expected to be diagnosed with cancer at Upstate Golisano Children’s Hospital by year’s end. But Paige’s Butterfly Run is helping to ease the burden of those patients and their families through an unlikely activity: indoor spinning.
Even amidst the darkness of the spinning room, Pedaling 4 Paige, the nonprofit’s annual event, brings light to pediatric patients. The executive director of Paige’s Butterfly Run, Jennifer Huntley, says it also spreads awareness of the toll a diagnosis can have on those around the patients.
“It’s not just the children. It’s their siblings. It’s their families. It’s the communities they live in. All of these people are affected,” Huntley said. “So when we look at 2025 and this avenue of raising funding, it’s so important to just keep going.”
The organization was founded in honor of Paige Arnold, a local girl who died after complications from a bone marrow transplant for leukemia in 1994. Over 30 years later, Arnold’s father, Chris, says the nonprofit is hoping to use events like Pedaling 4 Paige or their namesake “Butterfly Run,” an annual 5K race in Downtown Syracuse, to carry on her legacy.
“I’m getting older. My wife is getting older. We won’t be around forever, but we want the organization to be able to help patients and families as long as they’re needed,” Arnold said.
Since 2022, Pedaling 4 Paige has brought dozens of people to an Elevate Fitness in DeWitt. While many are simply coming to support the fight against pediatric cancer, others, like Deanne Pendergast, have a more personal connection to events like this.
“I think it’s important, especially for children, to benefit from the donations,” Pendergast said. “I lost a daughter myself, she was older, but I know the feeling. So I appreciate everybody that attended.”
So far in its history, Paige’s Butterfly Run has raised over $5 million for the cancer and blood disorders center at Upstate Golisano Children’s Hospital, with no sign of slowing down.
The signature Butterfly Run is scheduled for Saturday, June 7 at 9 a.m. in downtown Syracuse. To learn about how to register for that 5K and other activities, and to support the nonprofit, visit pbrun.org.