De Pere walk raises thousands for those battling cancer
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DE PERE, Wis. (WFRV) – No family battles cancer alone, that’s one of the messages organizers hope people take away from their event in De Pere.
Sunday was the third annual Jayma Van Straten Memorial Redbird Ribbon Walk at De Pere High School. Among the walkers was 8-year-old Eva Baker who was seeing the track named after her grandfather Dan Baker who coached cross country and track and field at the high school for 30 years for the first time.
He passed away in 2012 after a courageous battle with cancer. He’s one of many those who participated in the walk remembered on Sunday.
Baker’s wife Jill was another one of the walkers on Sunday. She wears a sweatshirt that is half gray and half yellow. A show of unrelenting support for her two granddaughters Eva and Hadley who are both battling cancer.
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“Both of them are just tremendous fighters, and just keep such a positive face,” said Jill Baker.
Eva was one of the walk’s grand marshals on Sunday.
“The De Pere community is unbelievable they step up every time,” said Jill Baker. “It’s so nice to have other people who go through the same thing you do, they understand.”
Dan Van Straten is the man behind the walk. His inspiration is his wife Jayma who passed away in 2022 after a brave battle with brain cancer. Jayma was able to join the rest of her family for the first walk back in May of 2022 before she passed.
Dan said her legacy lives on through this event each year.
“Given the weather, we know that she is shining down and loving this,” said Dan Van Straten.
“Cancer continues to touch more and more families, we’re going to continue to do events like this to raise awareness and raise money.”
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Through t-shirt sales, raffles, and donations from the community, the event has raised thousands of dollars over the last three years. The money goes to the high school’s ‘Sting Cancer Club.’ The club helps families battling cancer with costs and assists with other cancer-related fundraisers.
The ‘Sting Cancer Club’ at De Pere High School has been around for about 15 years, and Dan Van Straten credited the kids with being instrumental in putting this walk on every year.
“Every family is touched by cancer one way, shape, or form,” said Dan Van Straten. “There’s so much that goes on when a family is battling cancer and there’s so many hidden costs.”
