Second annual Anchor Dash 5k to raise money for charity

Delta Gamma will host its second annual Anchor Dash, which is a 5K run and walk around campus, at 10 a.m. on Oct. 6.

The proceeds from the event will support the sorority's national philanthropy, Service for Sight, as well as AYUDA-American Youth Understanding Diabetes Abroad.

"One of the major complications with diabetes is visual impairment and possible blindness," said Mary Waller, a DG member who was diagnosed with Type-1 diabetes when she was eight years old. She is also a member of AYUDA.

"Type-1 diabetes is an autoimmune disorder where the immune system attacks the pancreas, thinking that it is a foreign invader, and disables the body from making insulin," Waller said.

Type-1 diabetes only affects five percent of the people with diabetes, and people who have diabetes need to continually replace the absence of insulin in their bodies with synthetic insulin, which can become expensive, Waller said.

AYUDA aims to educate and advocate for people in Latin American counties who have Type-1 diabetes, Waller said.

"Diabetes is a huge part of my life, but I've learned to manage and control it through the use of my insulin pump, which allows me to easily test my blood sugar," Waller said.

The proceeds will go toward AYUDA's goal of assisting and educating people in Latin American countries about how they can effectively manage their diabetes with what is available to them, Waller said.

The event will begin at 10 a.m. with a pre-race performance including singing from Richmond's a cappella group Choeur du Roi and a warm-up yoga class, said Kailey Blunt, the organizer of Anchor Dash.

The race will begin at 11 a.m. The event will close with final remarks from Waller.

Although online registration has reached its capacity, participants can still register on race day, for an additional charge, Blunt said.

Contact reporter Ryann Dannelly at ryann.dannelly@richmond.edu