TAMPA, Fla. — A major weekend is ahead at Raymond James Stadium, but before the big games begin, the spotlight will be on something far more personal: a community coming together to fight childhood cancer.
What You Need To Know
The DiTinno’s began running as a form of therapy after their 4-year-old son Vincent was diagnosed with cancer
The DiTinno family is now partnering with the National Pediatric Cancer Foundation for a 5k and stair climb challenge at Raymond James Stadium on Saturday
Vincent, now 9 years old, is in remission
For more information on the 5k and Stair Climb Challenge, visit the event page on the National Pediatric Cancer Foundation’s website
On Saturday, runners and families will gather for a 5K and stadium stair climb to raise awareness and funds for pediatric cancer research.
The event highlights an urgent issue: Childhood cancer receives only about 4% of government-allocated cancer research funding, according to the Pediatric Cancer Research Foundation.
For one Tampa Bay family, that statistic isn’t just concerning — it’s deeply personal.
At first glance, 9-year-old Vincent DiTinno looks like any other energetic child. He runs and plays alongside his brother Corey, enjoying the simple moments of childhood.
But that normalcy came after a long and difficult journey.
When Vincent was just 4 years old, he was diagnosed with stage 2 rhabdomyosarcoma, a rare soft tissue cancer that affects only about 350 children each year.
What followed was an 18-month battle that tested the entire family.
Vincent endured surgery and intense chemotherapy treatments.
Daily life became a cycle of constant monitoring — checking for fevers morning, noon and night — often ending in emergency room visits.
“It was a hard time. It was very, very hard,” his mother, Melanie DiTinno, said.
For Vincent’s parents, the diagnosis could have pulled their family apart. Instead, they made a conscious decision to face it together.
“It could have done one of two things for us,” his father, Anthony DiTinno, said. “It could have torn us apart, or we come together and share a focus.”
That focus took shape in an unexpected way: running.
Each parent would go on separate runs through their neighborhood, using the time to process, cope and stay strong. When they returned home, they wrote messages of encouragement to each other on a piece of drywall — a simple but powerful act that kept them moving forward.
Those words became their foundation.
They decided that after getting through Vincent’s treatment they wanted to do something to help others, because they said they knew there were a lot of other people experiencing the same struggle.
Today, Vincent is in remission, and the DiTinno family is turning their experience into action.
They’ve partnered with the National Pediatric Cancer Foundation to help organize this weekend’s 5K and stair climb event at Raymond James Stadium. What once served as their personal therapy has now become a way to inspire and support others facing similar battles.
“Now, we’ve got the ability to give that support to other families,” Anthony said. “Sometimes it’s hard to talk about what we went through, but knowing it helps someone else means a lot.”
He said the event is more than just a race — it’s a symbol of resilience, community and hope.
Participants will take part in a stadium stair climb beginning at 8 a.m., followed by the 5K at 9 a.m. A family fun zone will remain open through noon, offering activities for all ages.
At the heart of it all is Vincent, a young boy who has faced more than most and who now looks ahead with optimism.