(aka Batfrog’s Walkin’ for Cancer)
What is all this?
I dress up like an idiot at road races & fun runs in exchange for donations to fight pancreatic cancer. Specifically, I run for the Hirshberg Foundation for Pancreatic Cancer Research at their annual LA Cancer Challenge. My previous costumes have been Batman, Spider-man, Donatello of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, the Flash, Wolverine, Darkwing Duck, Oscar the Grouch, Snoopy, Kermit the Frog, and Bert (Sesame Street).
2023’s costume is ERNIE (from Sesame Street)!
Read more about it here or donate here!
History of Batfrog Walkin’ for Cancer
This fundraising effort started in 2010 when I decided to participate in PanCAN’s PurpleStride South Bay fun run. At the time, almost everyone I knew was in college – pretty much the definition of broke. To convince my friends to part with their disposable income, I decided to add a little entertainment: raise a few hundred dollars and I’ll run the course in a Batman mask.
It was a success: since 2010, the Batfrog campaign has raised nearly $10,000 for pancreatic cancer research. Not bad for a bunch of broke college kids and post-grads.
Why pancreatic cancer research?
My dad was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer in July 2003 and passed away on December 23, 2003. Yes, you read that correctly: he lived barely six months after his diagnosis. Sadly, that’s not an uncommon story with pancreatic cancer. When I started fundraising for pancreatic cancer research, the five-year survival rate was 5%. Today, the five-year survival rate is 12%.
Is this a different charity than the one you used to fundraise for?
Yes – from 2010 to 2015, I fundraised at PurpleStride events hosted by PanCAN.
Since 2016, I’ve run the LA Cancer Challenge. This race is organized by and directly benefits the Hirshberg Foundation for Pancreatic Cancer Research. They started out by funding two projects at UCLA and now fund a pancreatic cancer research and treatment center at UCLA. They also provide aid grants to patients.
Hirshberg is a 501(c)3 non-profit, so your donations are still tax deductible.
Are you still running in memory of the same people as before?
Yes, except this stupid disease keeps killing more people, so now I’m running in memory of even more people (see below). Give me money so this stops happening.
I run for my dad, Alan Mertan; Fr. Michael Lewis of St. Luke’s in Garden Grove; my great uncle E.J. Schreiber; my friends’ grandfather Russell Roseberry; industry colleague Bob Weitkamp; and my friend’s dad George Jaeger.
Someone important to me has/had pancreatic cancer. Will you add them to your list?
Yes, please send me their name!
Do you get a cut of this money?
Nope, not a penny. I pay for my race registration, all the costume pieces, and all the Batfrog Christmas cards out of my own pocket. I did join the LACC’s volunteer planning committee in 2017, but the word “volunteer” should tell you exactly how much that pays. (It’s $0.)
How does this costume thing work?
Each year, $1000 guarantees that I run the 5K in a full costume. All donations beyond $1000 will count toward bonus costume items, like duck foot shoe covers or a Slimey the Worm accessory.
can’t stress enough how hot these stupid costume heads are
Do you run the entire 5K in costume?
I run or walk the entire length of the 5K course in costume, throughout the start/finish line festival, and around UCLA’s campus on race day. My pace is determined by how many costume pieces I have on and how restrictive they are. (And my own physical fitness level, of course. Current status: bad)
yes, I do run the course in the feet/shoe covers too
But who is Batfrog?
In the winter of 2008, I changed my Facebook profile picture to a photo of Kermit the Frog dressed as Batman, affectionately referred to as Batfrog. I thought I’d use it just for fun while I transitioned from one school to another. It ended up becoming a running joke and I left it up for almost 2 years. Naturally, it seemed like a no-brainer to make him my pseudo-mascot when I started doing these walks. But why photoshop each year’s costume onto Batfrog? Before Batfrog became my mascot, I would occasionally photoshop him for various holidays and occasions. You can see a few examples in the gallery of Batfrog Through the Years.
Why is it “walking for cancer” and not “walking against cancer” or “walking to fight cancer?”
Wish you were around a decade ago to ask this question. It’s too late to change it now.
How can I donate?
CLICK HERE TO MAKE A DONATION!
You can also give me a check or cash in person, but please let me know you plan to do this so I can count it toward the total dollar amount for costume purposes. Also, if you give me cash I can’t give you a receipt for tax write-off purposes.
Or, donate through your employer if your company matches charitable donations. Just let me know you plan to do this so I can count it toward the total dollar amount for costume purposes. The Hirshberg Foundation for Pancreatic Cancer Research is a 501(c)3 non-profit, so your company should be able to add it if it isn’t already in their donation-matching system. If your system allows you to write a note or comment with your donation, please enter “LACC 2023 – Team Superweirdos” or “LACC 2023 – Sarah Mertan”.
Can I register on your team and run with you?
YES! Click here to join my fundraising team, Team Superweirdos! Your registration fee counts towards our team total. I use the team total to determine which costume reward level we’ve reached, so your dollars still count.
What do I get for making a donation?
Oh my friend, many great things.
- The almighty sense of self-satisfaction.
- The joy of seeing me in a dumb costume.
- Lots of crazy pictures from race day.
- A Batfrog Christmas card.
What is the Batfrog Christmas card?
If you donate, you’ll receive a non-denominational holiday greeting card from your ol’ pal Batfrog. Be sure to include an updated mailing address when donating, or watch your email for a post-event call for mailing addresses. I promise it will feature the funniest, most embarrassing photo from the big day that’s been saved exclusively for donors.
Is there a deadline to have my donation count toward the costume levels?
Donations must be made no later than 24 hours prior to the event to count toward the costume level. This deadline is brought to you by the time I stayed up all night before race day sculpting Slimey the Worm out of foam.
Slimey turned out cute, though!
How do I see the race day photos?
- Live updates from the race will be on Instagram
- Photo gallery will be on Flickr
- Additional updates will be sent via email newsletter
This is a Halloween race, so won’t lots of other people be in costume, too?
Yes. If this upsets you, I recommend you practice not letting other people’s life choices spoil your fun. I am comfortable offering a 100% guarantee that nobody else will be in a giant Ernie head.
Will you bring your dog to the race?
No, Maarva isn’t a huge fan of crowds and her pace is more crawl than jog. But Peng-Peng made a few Christmas card appearances, so keep your eyes open for Marv there!
Where can I see more photos of you looking like a fool?
I made it this far and am still interested. I wish to subscribe to your newsletter.
You’re in luck because I actually do have one.
Here’s the donation link again so you don’t have to scroll back up, please give me money, thank you so much
did I mention it’s rain or shine