Lexington Catholic students host 'truly incredible' color run 5k to benefit kids with cancer

LEXINGTON, Ky. (LEX News) — Hundreds of runners gathered at the Kentucky Horse Park Sunday for a colorful cause, supporting children battling cancer.

The event, held near the Alltech Arena, was the first-ever 5K organized by students at Lexington Catholic High School as part of their DanceBlue fundraising tradition, which has been a staple at the school for nearly two decades.

Around 240 participants took part in the run, with every dollar raised going directly to the University of Kentucky Pediatric Oncology Unit.

Rosie Seitz, co-chair of the event, said the milestone was a long time coming.

"We are doing our first-ever inaugural 5K and it's never been done before. We've always just done stuff with our school, but we have around 240 people who have all come together and run for the kids."

WATCH: Lexington Catholic color run raises money for kids with cancer

The DanceBlue program at Lexington Catholic has raised more than $600,000 for pediatric cancer over the years. This year, organizers expanded the event beyond the school walls to include the broader community.

Seitz said the impact of the program speaks for itself.

"This has been going on for around 20 years and we raised over $600,000. So it's been truly incredible."

The event also carried a deeply personal meaning for participants. Runners honored the memory of Lexington Catholic student Eli Christoper Sloan, who lost his battle with cancer in March.

A student named Grayson, this year's sponsor, helped kick off the race.

Seitz said his presence made the day even more meaningful.

"Our sponsor for this year is Grayson. He's gonna be running with us today and starting the race. He's truly such a special kid and we're so glad to be able to honor him."

Co-chair Abigail Turner said the event was a true team effort, driven by a committee of more than 150 people.

"The most amazing part is we have a committee of over like 150 people, so even though we're here talking to you, it's all of them that like make this all happen."

For everyone involved — runners, volunteers, and student organizers alike — the motivation was the same: "For the kids!"

Molly Demrow is committed to covering the stories that matter to you. If you have an idea, please reach out to Molly at molly.demrow@wlex.tv