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Atlanta Ride for Kids to come through Dawsonville Sunday
Ride for Kids- Colton Norrell MUG
Colton Norrell, 2, was diagnosed at 11 weeks old with a brain tumor. Colton will be one of the stars riding in the Atlanta Ride for Kids on Sunday to help raise awareness for pediatric cancer. - photo by For the Dawson County News

A caravan of nearly 500 motorcycles riding to benefit the Pediatric Brain Tumor Foundation will be making its way through Dawsonville on Sunday, hoping to raise awareness for the cause.

The group will be led by VIP escorts who will chauffeur the ‘stars,' children battling brain cancer, and their families.

The ride will start at the Cumming Fairgrounds and travel to Dawsonville at around 10:30 a.m., circle the courthouse, and head back to the fairgrounds.

Hoping to participate is Dawsonville's Colton Norrell, an almost two-year-old who was diagnosed at 11 weeks old with a brain tumor.

According to his mother Leana, Norrell spent 122 days at Scottish Rite Hospital in Atlanta during his first year of life, and had a second surgery in April 2016 to remove the tumor.

In October 2016 Colton started having seizures. New medication has proved ineffective, and doctors are considering the next steps, which could include another surgery.

"He is happy and smiles all the time," Leana Norrell said. "Our biggest medicine has been God and all of our supporters who have prayed and have been there for us at our toughest times. The Pediatric Brain Tumor Foundation has been so wonderful to our family. We have been so blessed to get to meet some amazing people."

"It's for stars like Colton that we ride in the Atlanta Ride for Kids," said Bill Phelps, task force member and media coordinator for the Atlanta Ride for Kids. "We take the stars and their families out for an hour long, carefree ride for them to forget their daily battle, if, for only just a short time. We also use this opportunity to raise awareness and much needed money for the Pediatric Brain Tumor Foundation."

For those wishing to participate, registration starts at 8 a.m. and the ride begins at 10 a.m.

The Pediatric Brain Tumor Foundation is the world's largest nonprofit funder of research into cures for childhood brain tumors, providing more than $28 million to date to support the best and brightest at institutions nationwide.

For families battling the deadliest form of childhood cancer, the foundation provides hope, educational resources, scholarships, financial aid and opportunities to meet other families.

More information on the foundation can be found at http://www.curethekids.org/.