200 Miles of Compassion for Nathan Imura and Mama Bears

Update - December 12, 2024

The "200 Miles of Compassion" baton has been passed from ultramarathoner David Thull to the brave Nate Imura, as the journey continues.

Today, December 12, 2024, marks Day 0 for Nate as he receives a bone marrow transplant from his dad, Aaron—a huge milestone in his recovery from childhood leukemia. The transplant is complete, and now we cheer on Nate for the critical next 10 days of the engrafting process, followed by 4 - 6 months of recovery.

Keep Nate and the Imura family in your thoughts. Together, we’re running this race toward recovery! The GoFundMe campaign for 200 Miles of Compassion remains open for those who would like to support Nate and Mama Bears Fighting Childhood Cancer.

Happy Rebirthday, Nate!

Update:

We are excited to announce David Thull has completed his journey by reaching the Buddhist Church of Sacramento on Saturday November 23, 2024 at 2:00 PM. Just like Nate's journey, there were setbacks and replanning but the goal never changed! Listening to his body and factoring in the "atmospheric river" weather, David adjusted his schedule and arrived safely on Saturday. David took the night off on Friday after a very wet day, about 26 miles away from Sacramento. He and his wife Alisha woke up on Saturday with the sunrise to return to the exact spot where he left off the day before to resume the rest of the 200 miles, essentially doing what amounts to a marathon to arrive at the Buddhist of Sacramento on Saturday. Amazing.

David was greeted by the Imura family and sangha friends, including Nate and Mama Bears. Check out the video of David reaching the finish line.

The Buddhist Church of Sacramento would like to thank all the donors who supported Nate Imura and Mama Bears Fighting Childhood Cancer. We are over the moon and are amazed that together we exceeded the $40,000 goal! The Buddhist Church of Sacramento will be issuing checks directly to the Imura Family and to the non-profit organization Mama Bears Fighting Childhood Cancer.

Nate, whose family is long standing members of the Buddhist Church of Sacramento, is scheduled to start the preparation for receiving his father's bone marrow at the end of the month, so one-half of the funds raised will help the Imura family cover medical expenses and other services needed for Nate's road to recovery. Mama Bears Fighting Childhood Cancer, the non-profit organization chosen by the Imura family, will be able to purchase 15 - 20 care wagons for future families in need of their support with their one-half of the donations.

With Gratitude, The Buddhist Church of Sacramento

11/25/24

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Get ready for an epic journey! For 3-consecutive days between November 20-22, 2024, ultramarathon runner David Thull will embark on an incredible 200-mile run to fundraise for 13-year-old Nathan Imura and Mama Bears Fighting Childhood Cancer. Please make a pledge to David’s epic run. Every single dollar raised will be equally distributed to Nathan, a brave young member of the Buddhist Church of Sacramento and Troop 50 fighting leukemia, and Mama Bears Fighting Childhood Cancer, a non-profit organization that's been right there for Nathan.

Nathan Imura received a Hospital Survival Wagon from Mama Bears Fighting Childhood Cancer during his hospital stay while battling leukemia. In addition to the wagon, Mama Bears provides a supportive community that connects families who have been, or are currently, affected by cancer. The Imura family has chosen this special organization to help fundraise so that more children fighting cancer can receive Hospital Survival Wagons and Clinic Carts, which are filled with items that make hospital stays and long-term outpatient clinic visits more comfortable for both the child and their caregivers.

David, a Fresno temple member, is running from the Buddhist Church of Fresno all the way to the Buddhist Church of Sacramento to celebrate its 125th Anniversary Banquet and Celebration on November 23, 2024. Over his 3-day, 200-mile run, he will be visiting Fleet Feet stores and Sacramento's sister temples along the way.

Your contribution can make a real difference—let’s show our support and make this a powerful run for a great cause! (Note: the Tipping feature is a Go Fund Me tip set by the system and the donor can change it to zero.)

About Nathan Imura and the Imura Family:

The Imura family has been a long-standing, multigenerational part of the Buddhist Church of Sacramento community. 13-year-old Nathan is the eldest son of Doreen and Aaron Imura, and grandson of Roy and the late Georgette Imura. He has been active in Cub Scout Pack 50, Troop 50, our Dharma School, and the temple’s basketball league. Nathan’s father, Aaron, is a bone marrow match, but their journey to recovery is still long. The family has asked the Buddhist Church of Sacramento and Troop 50 to raise funds for Mama Bears Fighting Childhood Cancer, the organization supporting them.

About Mama Bears Fighting Childhood Cancer:

Mama Bears Fighting Childhood Cancer (MBFCC) is a nonprofit organization supporting Northern California families with children up to 21 years old who are currently undergoing treatment for childhood cancer. They provide families whose child has an active cancer diagnosis with an MBFCC Hospital Survival Wagon or Clinic Cart based on the family's needs filled with essential items to live more comfortably in the hospital or during long outpatient clinic visits. https://www.mbfcc.org

About David Thull:

David Thull is an ultramarathon runner based in Fresno, CA, with strong ties to the Buddhist Church of Fresno. An active member of the Sangha and community, he uses his running to support various causes, including fundraisers for the Fresno temple. David is also involved with Fleet Feet Fresno as a FIT specialist and team lead, helping local runners find the right gear and achieve their fitness goals. Apart from running, David enjoys training in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu and is a Black Belt instructor at 7th Generation Jiu-Jitsu. He also enjoys playing guitar in his spare time, classically trained, but thoroughly enjoys playing really loud rock music. @davidthull

The Organizers:

Buddhist Church of Sacramento:

Established in December 1899, the Buddhist Church of Sacramento is celebrating its 125th Anniversary this year. We are a Jodo Shinshu Buddhist temple that empowers people to live mindfully and compassionately every day. We welcome anyone who wants to make meaningful connections within a diverse community in this era of increasing societal, political, and environmental stress and uncertainty.

https://www.buddhistchurch.org

Sacramento Troop 50

Troop 50 was originally organized in the 1924 by the members of the Buddhist Church of Sacramento but it was disbanded at the outbreak of World War II. In 1962, Troop 50 was reorganized by the church and has been going strong ever since. When the church established a troop for girls, a “B” was added to the troop’s name. But it is still the same program that, for decades, has inspired many boys to attain the rank of Eagle Scout.

Troop 50B supports the Buddhist Church of Sacramento community by providing youth programming, participating in church events like Scout Sunday, and volunteering to help at its fundraisers.