Oklahoma Child Continues To Support Cancer Patients

An Oklahoma man is raising thousands for charity, but his way of going about it is unlike anything you've ever heard. Personal trainer Scott Do is doing lunges for more than three miles. It's painful to even think about, but the reason behind it will bring you to tears.

“We had a lot of sayings in our house from 'do the work, Whitakers never quit and keep fighting,'” Tracy Whitaker said.

Her son, Mitchell, was just 8 years old he was diagnosed with cancer, and that's when the Whitaker family's journey began. They weren't alone in their battle, but along the way came they across families who were.

“I had particularly one mother who shared her struggle during their time of treatment, and Mitchell overheard it,” Whitaker said. “When she left the room he said, ‘Mom, we should do something for them.'”

Go Mitch Go was born, and it all started with little Mitchell himself.

“That's kind of the heart of Go Mitch Go is to be able to support families who are struggling during that time,” she said.

The Whitakers began raising money for those less fortunate, handing out gift cards to chemo patients and delivering chemo carts full of supplies families would need for their hospital stay. But one day in September 2007, Mitchell never made it home from one his hospital visits. He was 10 years old.

“He was sedated, and he hadn't opened his eyes or spoken in a few days, and he opened his bright, blue eyes, and he said, ‘keep fighting,' and that's the last he said,” Whitaker said.

Since that day the Go Mitch Go Foundation has raised more than $1 million for cancer research and charity through athletes from across Oklahoma and Texas. 

Trainer Scott Do is one of them. He's doing a 5K, but he's not running it. He's doing all 3.1 miles in lunges.

“We wanted to make a difference,” Do said. “We want to help Oklahomans.”

He's used to training clients to reach their goals. Now he's got quite the challenge himself.

“This is something that's never been done before,” he said.

Training for a battle that's much bigger than any athlete - a fight that's yet to be won.

“His story is still being told, and I love that, because it's just bringing awareness to the cause,” Whitaker said.

The Lunge Challenge is set for October 25. 

Learn more about donations to Lunges For Kids.

To sign up to participate, visit Do It Right Fitness located at 10964 N May Avenue.

Learn more about the Go Mitch Go Foundation.