On Sunday October 30th thousands of walkers descended on the Disneyland Resort to raise money for the Children’s Hospital of Orange County. The event raised $3.1 million dollars for CHOC. This year, the ambassador for CHOC Walk was the family of Timmaree Hicks, a child with eye cancer who received care at CHOC for two years before passing away in 2008.
For the 26th annual CHOC Walk, nearly 15,000 people walked the 5k that wound through the Disneyland Resort in the early hours of the morning. The walk was lined with Disney Cast Members and characters who cheered on the walkers.
Leading up to the official event, there were a couple of other events to help support CHOC and CHOC Walk in the Park. First, Taste of Downtown Disney had the best food and drink that Downtown Disney District has to offer while raising money for this very worthy cause. The CHOC Walk Ambassadors Luau also contributed to the cause.
CHOC Children’s and CHOC at Mission, for which CHOC Walk raises funds, came into being in 1964 when Walt Disney and Walter Knott joined local pediatricians and leaders to bring a children’s hospital to Orange County. It opened its doors on October 5, 1964, with 12-year-old Kendall “Ken” Spicer as its first official patient. What started as a 62 bed hospital in 1964 continues to grow as it partners with other hospitals and University California, Irvine as it strives to become a nationally recognized premier children’s hospital.
Each year DAPs Magic walks in the parks for CHOC Walk. If you would like information on walking with the team in 2017, please connect with DAPs Magic on social media and/or subscribe to DAPs Magic.
