Cancer, Community

Register Now for Corewell Health’s 40th Irish Jig 5K, Featuring a New Race Route

Participants and spectators are encouraged to dress in ‘80s attire.

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich., February 13, 2024 – Online registration is now open for Corewell Health’s 40th Irish Jig, a 5K race to raise public awareness and support during Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month. The race will be held on Saturday, March 16, in East Grand Rapids.

This year, the Irish Jig will take place on a new 3.1-mile USA Track & Field certified road course through East Grand Rapids. Participants will start and finish on Lakeside Drive in front of the Kent District Library and the East Grand Rapids Department of Public Safety building. Runners will begin the race at 8:30 a.m. and walkers will follow at approximately 8:45 a.m.

Participants and spectators are encouraged to dress in ‘80s-inspired attire to celebrate 40 years of the Irish Jig and a golden era for bright colors, big gestures and statement pieces. The race was first held in 1983 and has taken place every year, except for 2020, to raise awareness for the early detection of colorectal cancer.

Colon and rectal cancers are the second leading cause of U.S. cancer deaths and risk increases with age. Early detection is important and regular colon screenings are recommended for most people after age 45. Corewell Health offers one of the largest groups of board-certified gastroenterologists in West Michigan, providing the latest colorectal cancer screening techniques and programs for diagnosing and treating anal, colon and rectal cancer.

The Irish Jig raises funds to support people with all varieties of cancer diagnoses, along with the families traveling the journey with them. Proceeds from the race go directly to the Corewell Health Patient Assistance Fund, which provides people with transportation, lodging, medical equipment and supplies, nutritional provisions and other necessities required during treatment.

Online registration is available until 11:59 p.m. on Friday, March 1. Late registration will also be available on race day, Saturday, March 16, from 7 a.m. until 8:30 a.m. at East Grand Rapids High School, 2211 Lake Drive SE. To learn more and to register for the Irish Jig, visit www.corewellhealth.org/irish-jig.

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People are at the heart of everything we do, and the inspiration for our legacy of outstanding outcomes, innovation, strong community partnerships, philanthropy and transparency. Corewell Health is a not-for-profit health system that provides health care and coverage with an exceptional team of 60,000+ dedicated people—including more than 11,500 physicians and advanced practice providers and more than 15,000 nurses providing care and services in 21 hospitals, 300+ outpatient locations and several post-acute facilities—and Priority Health, a provider-sponsored health plan serving more than 1.3 million members. Through experience and collaboration, we are reimagining a better, more equitable model of health and wellness. For more information, visit corewellhealth.org.

Contact:
Alexis Bolo Neal
Senior Communications Specialist
Email: alexis.boloneal@corewellhealth.org