District ‘Undie Run’ Raises Funds for The Children’s Tumor Foundation

In boxers, pasties, boy shorts, and bikinis, D.C. residents braved the nearly freezing temperatures Saturday afternoon in a run to raise money for the Children's Tumor Foundation.  

In 2010, two Silver Spring residents, Bobby Gill and Brendan Hanrahan, came up with the idea of Cupid's Undie Run, a 1.5 mile run in under garments. Since then, the fundraiser has gain widespread support and increased participation. The past three years, six cities: DC, NYC, Atlanta, Seattle, Denver, Colo. and Cincinnati have joined with more than 800 participants.

Gill and Hanrahan spoke to the Washington Post about the inspiration behind this elaborate idea.

As a teenager in Georgia, Hanrahan's best friend's 10-year-old brother, Drew Leathers, developed what Hanrahan described to the Post as "random tumors" on his arms, back, shoulders and other body parts.

"One tumor they removed from his calf was the size of a racquetball," Hanrahan told reporters.

Later Drew was diagnosed with a rare genetic disease called neurofibromatosis, which causes noncancerous tumors to grow on the body's nerves.

Today, neurofibromatosis affects close to 100,000 Americans, many of whom are children.

By the time Drew reached the age of 16, the growth of the tumors left him ‘bedridden and immobilized' by nerve pain.

Unfortunatley, there is no cure for the disease and the only way for relief is to have the tumors surgically removed.

In Drew's honor, his brothers started an organization called the ‘Tumornators,' and Hanrahan helped them raise money for the Children's Tumor Foundation.

Hanrahan told the Post that when he moved to Maryland in 2006, he knew he wanted to do something similar in D.C. that wasn't another 5K run.

The Undie Run idea developed after Hanrahan heard about a holiday-themed fundraising event in Boston, where people ran in speedos and santa hats to benefit charities.

Hanrahan partnered with Gill, his housemate at the time, and the duo built upon the idea of a run with a Valentine's Day theme.

Registration for the 2012 D.C. run was filled by December. In its third year, it has raised over $100,000 for the Children's Tumor Foundation.  Although many runners and participants do not personally know people affected with the disease, the support and thoughtfulness for helping children in need has been overwhelming.