KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — Carter Acuff is described as a shy and sensitive seven-year-old boy with a positive attitude and an uncanny ability to sneak a good pun into a conversation.
This past winter, Carter's parents took him to the emergency room when an illness would not go away. Doctors discovered something was very wrong. Carter had Acute B-Cell Lymphoblastic Leukemia.
Friends who work at BenchMark Physical Therapy alongside Carter's father, Brandon Acuff, wanted to do something to help the family with medical expenses and travel back and forth to Vanderbilt University Medical Center, so they created an event called 'Carter's Community Cinema and 5K.'
The event is scheduled for Saturday, Aug. 24, 2019, at Lakeshore Park in Knoxville.
The 5K begins at 6 p.m. After and during the race, there will be live music, food, drinks, and a silent auction. It costs $30 to register to run.
When the sun begins to set at 8 p.m., the movie 'Ghostbusters' will play on a large screen set up in the park. It's free to bring your families.
There will also be a bloodmobile set up at the BenchMark Physical Therapy office on North Peters Road from noon to 7 p.m. on Friday, Aug. 23. If donors mention 'Carter Acuff,', the family will receive a $15 credit towards his treatment. If you plan on participating in the 5K on Saturday, organizers are stressing that you do not donate blood as well.
If you're interested in making a donation or becoming a sponsor, you can visit Carter's page at TFEC.org.