Latest News

2023 Carrie Sloan Norry Award Winner

The Board of Directors of JUST TRYAN IT is pleased to announce the winner of the 2023 Carrie Sloan Norry Founders Award. This award is presented annually to an individual or individuals who demonstrate strength of character, passion, determination, empathy and dedication to those impacted by cancer. These are qualities that Carrie has demonstrated

2023-11-14T05:04:11-07:00November 14th, 2023|

Role Models for all 2023 Ken Caputo and Do the Right Thing Award Winners

Are You Ready For It? The 2023 race season was one for the record books, $258,000 in racer fundraising for families fighting cancer. The Chapel Hill Kids Triathlon registered more racers than ever before. Seventy percent of all registered racers were on teams. The team with the most members in Bethesda was the

2023-11-14T04:53:25-07:00November 14th, 2023|

A Beautiful Day in Bethesda – $187,800 to support families fighting cancer

Sunshine, sweat and smiles were abundant at Landon School on Sunday morning. There were 411 registered racers and 225 volunteers who together with our sponsors raised $187,800 to provide financial support to families with a child in cancer treatment in the Washington metropolitan region. We are so grateful to all of the families and

2023-11-14T04:38:14-07:00November 14th, 2023|

2022 Impact Report

March 2023 Dear Friends, A recent article in the The New York Times Magazine, What Happened to Us, by Jon Mooallem, talks about our collective resistance to reflect on what we experienced during the pandemic and our relentless drive to return to “normal”.  The article made me think of the traumatic experiences of families who have

2023-05-15T14:15:58-07:00March 15th, 2023|

Doing Good Together 2022

THANK YOU! $40,128 for families fighting cancer. We are Doing Good Together. On January 1st we received this letter from Amy, a JUST TRYAN IT grantee and the mother of 12 year old Evan. Evan recently completed his chemotherapy treatment. Amy’s letter captures the deep gratitude grantee families have for all those who aid them

2023-05-15T14:22:03-07:00January 3rd, 2023|

$50,000 for Deep Need Grant Program

JTI Receives $50,000 donation to the Deep Needs Grant Fund This testimonial was written by a generous donor and volunteer who wishes to remain anonymous. We are truly grateful to him and his family for their commitment to JUST TRYAN IT. I first became familiar with JUST TRYAN IT when my grandchildren decided to participate

2023-05-15T16:05:20-07:00December 15th, 2022|

JTI Launches Deep Need Grant Fund

For twelve years JUST TRYAN IT has provided families financial assistance to alleviate the financial stress they encounter when their child is in cancer treatment.  We have raised over 4 million dollars and helped nearly 3,500 families.   These emergency relief grants are generally capped at $2,000 per family per year and directly pay rent, mortgage, utilities

2022-10-26T12:49:34-07:00September 1st, 2022|

Thank You Chapel Hill $134,000 Raised!

THANK YOU CHAPEL HILL $134,000 raised for JUST TRYAN IT to support families with a child in cancer treatment at UNC and Duke. Race Day is the Best Day I still have a smile on my face!  We are basking in the warmth of the post-race glow. I wanted

2022-10-26T13:06:00-07:00May 2nd, 2022|

Doing Good Together – 2021 Impact Report

March 2022 Dear Friends, It is my pleasure to share with you JUST TRYAN IT’s 2021 Impact Report.  This report provides insight into the impact JUST TRYAN IT has on the families we serve.  Our mission is first and foremost to provide financial relief to families with a child in cancer treatment.  We are

2022-10-26T13:15:32-07:00March 26th, 2022|

The 2021 Carrie Sloan Norry Founders Award

The Board of Directors of JUST TRYAN IT is pleased to announce the winner of the 2021 Carrie Sloan Norry Founders Award.  This award is presented annually to an individual or individuals who demonstrate strength of character, passion, determination, empathy and dedication to those impacted by cancer. These are qualities that Carrie has demonstrated

2021-11-30T18:22:00-07:00November 30th, 2021|

Kids Triathlons Raise Over $238,000 to Support Families

We are back! Our return to in-person racing was triumphant. The kids triathlons in Bethesda and Chapel Hill raised over $238,000. The proceeds from these events will support families fighting cancer at Children's Hospital, Duke Children's, John Hopkins, INOVA, Children's Hospital at Sinai and UNC. Thank you to all of our racers, volunteers, sponsors

2021-11-08T10:59:46-07:00November 7th, 2021|

1,000 Racers, One Mission

A Virtual Success in 2020 Like most things this year, JUST TRYAN IT's 2020 race season was quite unique. When we made the decision to go virtual, we had no idea if anyone would join us. We never imagined that we would have over 1,000 racers participate from Durham to Denmark! This year our

2020-11-06T09:16:22-07:00October 27th, 2020|

Virtual Race Video

JUST TRYAN IT hosted its first virtual triathlon on May 3, 2020. Over 320 people participated raising over $55,000 for families fighting cancer at UNC and Duke! This money will be used to pay rent and utilities bills and to provide gas and food vouchers for families with a child in treatment for

2021-05-18T14:09:09-07:00May 8th, 2020|

Communities embrace JUST TRYAN IT’s first virtual race!

Lake Hogan Farms community maintains safe social distance while racing in the virtual triathlon, May 3, 2020! Dear JUST TRYAN IT Community, On Sunday over 320 people from across seven states participated in JUST TRYAN IT's first virtual triathlon. The majority of these racers were from our Chapel Hill, North Carolina race

2020-05-22T11:39:10-07:00May 6th, 2020|

JTI Covid-19 Call to action!

YOU CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE Our cancer families need us now more than ever.  We have reached out to our partner hospitals and below is a list of what you can do to support families fighting cancer during the COVID-19 crisis. CREATE, INSPIRE, COLLECT Make cards, draw pictures and write letters of gratitude for

2020-03-25T14:12:36-07:00March 25th, 2020|

Thank You 2019, Hello 2020!

Dear Friends Four little words, “your child has cancer.” Words that change your life forever. In the ensuing days, medical professionals will tell you about the various tests, drugs, and treatments your child will endure. But no one asks the question, “how will you afford this treatment?” Families will do whatever needs to be

2019-12-30T08:43:58-07:00December 20th, 2019|

Way to go Brandon

The Triangle Day School student council recently sponsored a double-elimination Super Smash Bro’s video game competition/fundraiser with the winner choosing the charity. Students and teachers paid $5 to enter the tournament. Over $200 was raised during the evening. Thanks to Brandon, this year’s winner, for selecting JUST TRYAN IT as the recipient! Triangle Day

2019-12-30T08:54:46-07:00December 9th, 2019|

Families Helping Families

JUST TRYAN IT is all about families helping families.  In the past ten years we have had over 5500 racers cross our finish lines and helped over 3100 families.  Families like Trent's; Trent was diagnosed at the age of 13 with a rare form of lukemia. He endured years of chemotherapy, radiation and a bone marrow transplant.  In February of this

2019-12-30T08:37:40-07:00December 3rd, 2019|

Candy Drive 2020

Do you have more candy in your house than you can eat? Why not give it away! We are collecting candy and delivering it to the families and staff at UNC Children’s hospitals. Brighten someone else’s day with a treat. Now through November 18th. Interested in helping with the collections? Contact Carrie. Current collection

2019-11-02T07:23:03-07:00October 30th, 2019|

Maureen Colburn to be JTI Executive Director

JUST TRYAN IT is thrilled to announce the selection of Maureen Colburn as our new Executive Director. Maureen brings with her a wealth of strategic planning, communication and organizational development experience from the non-profit and public education sectors. She joins us from the Chavez Schools where she served as Director of Talent. Prior to

2019-08-10T06:55:32-07:00August 8th, 2019|

Volunteer Spotlight: Jackie Lago

Jackie’s family is committed to raising money and awareness for childhood cancer. Currently, they have sponsored a mile in Tattoo Tom's (from Stillbrave Foundation) upcoming Bigfoot IV race in Washington state. Each mile (205 total miles) is sponsored by a person or family that commits to raising $1,000 for a mile dedicated in honor

2019-08-06T14:04:52-07:00August 6th, 2019|

Whitaker Update!

Whitaker was the Face of the Race at our 2018 Alexandria, VA kids triathlon. We are delighted to share with you this update from his family. You can read Whitaker's full story here. Join Whitaker and family at our September 15, 2019 race at Episcopal High School. In the last year, Whitaker has been

2019-08-06T11:47:51-07:00August 6th, 2019|

JTI Holds 10th Annual Race in Bethesda Sunday, June 16, 2019

(Bethesda, MD, Friday, April 26, 2019) - Bethesda-resident Ryan Darby was diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukemia in December of 2009. During treatment, it was tough, his body took a toll. He got headaches, pain in his knees and pain in his back. During that time, he received so much love and support from family

2019-05-01T20:55:31-07:00May 1st, 2019|

Team Nicholas is back!

Zachary and Alexander Spinnell will once again be competing in the JUST TRYAN IT Kids Triathlon for their 9th and 3rd time respectively. The Spinnells are honoring the memory of their brother, Nicholas, who bravely fought Rhabdomysarcoma but passed away from non-cancer related medical challenges in 2014 just shy of his 8th birthday. While Zachary

2019-03-18T13:40:52-07:00March 15th, 2019|

Isaiah! Meet our Face of the Race in Alexandria

Isaiah was a happy and healthy baby boy—playing, crawling, walking, eating, talking, laughing—until at 9 months of age when he was diagnosed with Hepatoblastoma, a rare cancerous tumor in the liver that occurs primarily in children. Isaiah had 4 rounds of chemotherapy followed by surgery to remove the tumor. Isaiah went into cardiac arrest

2019-03-04T21:11:48-07:00March 4th, 2019|

Gifts for Isaiah

As part of our Hope for the Holidays campaign, Baltimore and Bethesda racers led by First Aid Captain Elyse Michelson rallied their community to support Isaiah, a local Baltimore child battling cancer and the complications from treatment. Through a community boot camp, Lularoe, a local school, and company holiday parties, they were able to

2019-02-21T14:36:35-07:00February 19th, 2019|

Kyairah is a cancer warrior. Let’s help her family fight.

Kyairah is a resilient and determined 8 year old girl who was initially diagnosed with neuroblastoma at age 3. She completed her therapy at age 5, however at age 7, she presented with recurrent metastatic disease. She completed additional therapy this past May but unfortunately, she has relapsed again from therapy. Despite long hospitalizations

2018-12-19T06:50:04-07:00December 18th, 2018|

Candy and Smiles Delivered!

This fall, JUST TRYAN IT collected and delivered candy to UNC Children's Hospital in Chapel Hill, NC and Inova Children's in Alexandria, VA. While we can all recognize that candy is not a recipe for health, the staff at the hospital report that the candy generates smiles on faces and serves to temporarily relieve

2018-12-19T09:54:46-07:00December 13th, 2018|

Colin is set for 2nd bone marrow transplant this month.

Colin is an adorable 2-year-old little boy who was diagnosed with infantile leukemia at 3 weeks old. He immediately began treatment that included chemotherapy, stem cell therapy, and a bone marrow transplant. Due to another relapse, Colin will have a second bone marrow transplant in December 2018. Colin's family have consistently found ways to

2018-11-29T07:46:21-07:00December 10th, 2018|

We can make this year special for Gabby and her family

Gabriella “Gabby”, age two, is the youngest of 12 children. Gabby was born with down syndrome and earlier this year, was diagnosed with leukemia. Gabriella’s mother needed to quit working entirely in order to be there for her daughter, while dad does his best to maintain his full-time schedule. Gabby has spent the majority

2018-11-29T07:21:51-07:00November 6th, 2018|

Help Dominic and his siblings celebrate the holidays this year

Dominic (in red shirt) is an adorable 3-year-old little boy who was diagnosed with leukemia in 2017. Sadly, his treatment has been met with several complications. Dominic lives with his parents and three siblings in Virginia. His mother has stopped working entirely, while his father has needed to take time away from his job

2018-11-06T15:46:20-07:00November 6th, 2018|

Tim Mooney joins JUST TRYAN IT as Development Director

Tim Mooney Joins JUST TRYAN IT as Director of Development to change the world for families battling childhood cancer (Monday, October 15, 2018, Bethesda, MD)  JUST TRYAN IT is proud to announce the hiring of Timothy J. Mooney as director of development. Mooney is the former director of philanthropy of Ronald McDonald House Charities of

2018-10-30T16:54:50-07:00October 29th, 2018|

Meet Our 2019 Race Directors

This amazing group of individuals is leading our 2019 races in 4 different states. We are so excited to work with them and watch the magic they create in their communities. Karen Cox, Chapel Hill Karen Cox’s background is in Human Resources and Executive Recruiting. Karen has

2018-10-30T16:54:50-07:00October 1st, 2018|

Landon Students Attend Biden Cancer Town Hall

On September 21, 2018, 4 Landon high school students attended the Biden Cancer Initiative's culminating event in downtown Washington, DC. Armen S, Vernon H, Jonathan C, and Johnny M learned about the variety of approaches to cancer care research throughout the country from panels of experts. Thanks to these gentlemen for participating. We are

2018-11-04T14:30:51-07:00September 21st, 2018|

Ken Caputo Awards, Alexandria

Winner: Pierson Gammage At each race we give an award to a race day volunteer that spreads enthusiasm, happiness, and a touch of goofiness to our event. Run Course Captain Deb Povinelli wrote, “Pierson was just before the shortcourse turn around and never stopped jumping, ringing the cowbell, and high-fiving every

2018-10-30T16:54:50-07:00September 20th, 2018|

Racer Spotlight – Nevie!

Nevie is a rising second grader at Burgundy Farm Country Day School. She learned about JUST TRYAN IT last year from some of her classmates and loved participating in the 2017 triathlon. Her mom, Betsy, is a childhood cancer survivor so Nevie knows how important it is to raise funds for this important cause.

2018-10-30T16:54:50-07:00August 16th, 2018|

Ryan Darby Celebrates 5 Year Cancerversary

On February 23, 2018, Ryan Darby, the inspiration behind JUST TRYAN IT celebrated 5 years since his treatment for leukemia ended. Ryan, and his mother, Mollie Darby were interviewed on Good Morning, Washington that morning. In case you missed it, check out the segment here.

2018-10-30T16:54:50-07:00February 27th, 2018|

1000 Pounds of Candy Delivered!

Thanks to all the neighborhoods, schools, and businesses that helped us collect candy this year. A special shout out to these candy captains: Kelley Keats, Allison Farnworth, Jeanne Dombcik, Wendy Albano, Kristen Pavlicek, Margarita Escaler, Maripat Metcalf, Lauren Hostetler, Grace Bell, Kate Newman. And, thank you to these schools and businesses: Duke School Faculty

2018-10-31T18:44:06-07:00November 28th, 2017|
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