Patrick Newcomer Memorial 5K Run

Patrick Newcomer was our dear friend and classmate at the University Of Illinois College Of Medicine. Last February Pat passed away tragically and unexpectedly. In the time we knew him, Pat was a source of joy and laughter to everyone around him. He was an enthusiastic and curious student, a selfless and caring friend, and ultimately embodied the charisma and kindness that would have made him a great physician. While Pat left us too soon, his memories continue to live on. Those of us the third year class at the Peoria campus who were close to Pat have decided to memorialize him through an event that would best reflect his personality while raising money for a cause he cared about, the Patrick Newcomer Memorial 5K. The run will be held at the Peoria Riverfront Park on April 29th, at 9AM.

Those of us who knew Pat know that his favorite past times involved sports and beer. A multiple sports athlete in high school, he remained actively involved in intramural sports in undergrad and medical school. Despite our busy schedules as medical students, fitness was always an important component to his life and before his passing Pat had contemplated signing up to run a local 5K. Pat was also a lover of beer, and I imagine I’m not alone in being able to recount a time when he’s pulled an open can of Bud Light out of his pants pocket at a get-together. Finally, Pat was a passionate advocate for children’s health, having worked as a counselor at a camp for children with diabetes prior to medical school. After his passing, much of the donations to the College of Medicine received in his name went towards the Pediatric Interest Group’s Halloween Party for Diabetic Children, an annual student-run event to celebrate Halloween for diabetic children and their families. The Patrick Newcomer Memorial 5K will thus incorporate all of these elements. Registration for the run will be $25, and each runner will receive a memorial beer glass. A small portion of the proceeds (~$300) will be used to purchase a tree to plant at the College of Medicine in Patrick’s memory, with the rest going to support the Halloween Party. Our current fundraising goal is $5000.

While runners who donate $25 or more will receive a glass. We welcome and are extremely grateful for any contributions to the event to help us reach our goal. We have purchased insurance to cover 200 people at the run, but anyone interested in participating in the run who cannot pay the registration fee are welcome to contact us and we will keep you updated of any open spots prior to the event. Please donate, your help is so important to us and we will make sure every dollar goes to preserving Pat’s memory and supporting the Halloween Party for Diabetic Kids at the College of Medicine. Feel free to share the gofundme link (https://www.gofundme.com/patricknewcomer5k)
if you would like. We cannot reiterate enough how extremely grateful we are for the support from you all.

Please donate and help spread the word!