BATON ROUGE - A staff member at Mary Bird Perkins Cancer Center pledged to run 50 miles across Baton Rouge to raise $50,000 in honor of the center's 50th anniversary. 

The fundraiser closes at the end of March, but the goal has already been reached.

Corrie Mackey says she is honored to celebrate the Cancer Center with "Mackey's Miles for Mary Bird Perkins" after being on their team for over a decade. 

“You have to have that incentive. It’s gotta mean something to you to run that long, and the only organization that means that much to me, is the cancer center," Mackey said.

The pandemic has taken a heavy toll on fundraising stopping many charitable events in their tracks. Director of Events Chrissy Dupuy alluded to this, saying, “with so many events getting canceled her effort couldn’t come at a better time.”

“We've had to pivot so much with our events year, to be able to have this, and count on Corrie with this, its meant everything to Mary Bird,” Dupuy said.

On March 5, the run is expected to take about 10 hours, beginning in the Willow Grove subdivision off Perkins zig-zagging through Baton Rouge, and finally ending at the Mary Bird Perkins Cancer Center off Essen Lane.

Mackey says that the finish line is especially meaningful to her as she has seen firsthand what the Cancer Center has done for patients, which has pushed her to reach the goal.

Anyone who wishes to support Mackey can donate online or follow her journey on Facebook here.

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