Fighting Pediatric Cancer. Funding hope.

Helping to make a difficult journey a little easier

About Paige’s Butterfly Run

For over 25 years, Paige’s Butterfly Run, Inc. has been a critical part of Central New York’s efforts to fight cancer and blood disorders in children.

Over 60 children will be newly diagnosed at Upstate Golisano Children’s Hospital this year. The impact of a diagnosis is far reaching, affecting not only the child but their family and community. Our mission – to help local families who have already heard “your child has cancer”, as well as those who will soon hear those dreaded words.

The Dr. William J. Waters Center for Children’s Cancer and Blood Disorders at Upstate Golisano Children’s Hospital serves close to 700 children each year while conducting research for tomorrow’s cures. Paige’s Butterfly Run, Inc. is a key part of these services, as the funds we raise support pediatric cancer research and patient programs. Our goals are to increase financial support of our events and make them more successful each year so that we can help more children.

“Paige’s Butterfly Run strengthens the research at Upstate Golisano Children’s Hospital into pediatric cancer and supports families along the way of this journey called a cancer diagnosis. Every day I see the impact that Paige’s does to make this journey a little easier and provide hope for tomorrow.”

_{– Melanie Comito, MD, the Paige Yeomans Arnold Endowed Professor in Pediatric Oncology and division chief of the Waters Center for Children’s Cancer and Blood Disorders at Upstate}

The Story Behind the Organization

In 1993, Paige Yeomans Arnold was a seemingly healthy 6 year old first grader at Palmer Elementary School in Baldwinsville NY, when she was diagnosed with leukemia. She was treated at what is now the Dr. William J. Waters Center for Children’s Cancer and Blood Disorders at Upstate Golisano Children’s Hospital in Syracuse NY. Paige ultimately underwent a bone marrow transplant in an effort to cure her leukemia at Boston Children’s Hospital in 1994. Sadly, complications from the transplant led to her death in August of that year.

In the Spring of 1997, her parents Chris & Ellen were approached by a group of teachers at Palmer Elementary that wished to honor Paige in what would have been her last year at the school. In short order, they decided that a walk\run event would be organized. All proceeds were slated to benefit a college scholarship fund and the Center for Children’s Cancer and Blood Disorders in Paige’s memory. The butterfly was selected as a symbol of the event not only because she was so fond of them, but because they typified her: beautiful and gentle, but strong beyond imagining.

After hosting the event from 1997-2007 at Palmer Elementary, Paige’s Butterfly Run came to downtown Syracuse in 2008 with the Taste of Syracuse Festival. In 2016, two fundraising events were added: Pedaling 4 Paige – an indoor spinning event and Clams 4 Cures Clambake.

Organization 990’s

How Far We’ve Come

Thanks to your support, we’ve raised over $5,000,000 since 1997. The donations you make today make a difficult journey a little easier and provide hope for tomorrow.

Thank you, for walking, running, pedaling and joining us as we fight pediatric cancer and fund hope!