Cupcake Crawl in Tampa doubles as birthday celebration for child battling leukemia

The Brief

  • Hundreds gathered at Al Lopez Park for the 3rd Annual Cupcake Crawl — a 5K and 1K dash benefiting Celebrate Birthdays, a nonprofit that throws birthday parties for foster kids and children in need.
  • This year’s event included a special birthday celebration for 4-year-old Parker Fink, who was diagnosed with leukemia in April.
  • More than 400 runners and walkers participated — the race’s largest turnout yet — with every finisher receiving a cupcake.

TAMPA The sweet smell of cupcakes filled the air at Al Lopez Park on Saturday morning, as hundreds of runners laced up for the 3rd Annual Cupcake Crawl.

The event featured a 5K, a kids’ 1K dash, and plenty of family fun. But the highlight of the day was a birthday celebration for 4-year-old Parker Fink.

Diagnosed with leukemia earlier this year, Parker had to miss out on what would have been his first big birthday party with friends.

Thanks to Celebrate Birthdays — a local nonprofit dedicated to throwing parties for foster children and kids in need — Parker got that celebration in front of a cheering crowd.

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