The History of The Donut Run
The History of The Donut Run
On an icy March morning in 2014, lured by the sweet smell of donuts and the desire to fight head and neck cancer, 350 people participated in the Inaugural Columbus Donut Run. Not only were there donut holes throughout the course there was also music, dancing donuts, costumes, and as a grand finale, a box of six different bakery donuts to take home. Word spread quickly; this was a FUN event! Just as quickly, the Columbus Donut Run grew to well over 2000 runners in the subsequent years.
The Columbus Donut Run began as a fundraiser by the Joan’s Foundation established in 2010 in honor of Joan Levy Bisesi (see Joan’s Story below). Shortly before she passed away, Joan, and her husband, Phil, created The Joan Bisesi Fund for Head and Neck Oncology Research (Joan’s Fund), an endowment fund for research at The Ohio State University Comprehensive Cancer Center – Arthur G. James Cancer Hospital and Richard J. Solove Research Institute (the OSUCCC- James). Joan sent an email to her friends stating, “Phil and I have decided not to be bashful in asking for your support to cure cancer. I love flowers and cards, but I would rather be cured and be able to see the flowers at Mira’s wedding than to see them now!”
To date, more than $1,000,000 has been raised for the Joan’s Fund to support research at the OSUCCC-The James that focuses on finding a cure for all types of Head and Neck Cancer (HNC).
Joan's Story
Joan Levy Bisesi, beloved wife, mother, daughter, sister, and friend, was always positive and courageous, even throughout a painful battle against cancer.
In 1996, at age 29, Joan developed canker sore-like tumors in her mouth and was diagnosed with squamous cell carcinoma. This type of cancer is rare for someone in her twenties without normal risk factors. But while rare, unfortunately, Joan’s situation is not unique. Statistics document an increasing incidence of squamous cell carcinoma among young people. Joan immediately underwent treatment for her cancer.
In the fall of 2000, just before celebrating five cancer-free years, Joan found her cancer had returned. As she was finishing radiation treatments after a second surgery, she learned she was pregnant. Although worried about her physical ability to handle pregnancy and birth, she was ecstatic! Joan’s pregnancy was difficult and she struggled to stay healthy. As she planned for her baby’s arrival in November 2001, she learned her cancer had returned a third time. The baby was delivered in September, several weeks early, to give Joan the ability to undergo another surgery but, sadly, it was too late. The cancer had become inoperable.
Joan died on November 23, 2001, when her beautiful daughter, Mira Sophia, was only 10 weeks old.
