In the year since she was diagnosed with a rare and deadly childhood cancer 4-year-old Lia Brady has had to undergo several treatments that took a toll on her small body and on her family.</p><p>"It's been hard," said her mother, Laura, of the past year. "It's affected the two kids (Lia's siblings) we are not around each other as much, it was hard for them when their mom and sister was away at the hospital."</p><p>Brady said that as difficult as the experience has been for her family the one bright spot has been the outpouring of support from Los Ba&#241;os residents, especially when they made the inaugural Lia's Dash a success.</p><p>The 5K run/walk fundraiser named "Lia's Dash to Fight Nueroblastoma" will take place again Sept. 27 to help the Brady family as they continue with Lia's treatment.</p><p>Run organizer Margarita Ordu&#241;ez, a former co-worker of Laura Brady's at Lorena Falasco Elementary School, said registration is currently underway and is encouraging participants to ask family and friends to sponsor them for the run.</p><p>Suggested donation is $25 to participate in the 3.1 mile run/walk. This year there will be a Lia's Little Dash for $10 so that younger children can be a part of the event.</p><p>Last year about 200 people registered for Lia's Dash and raised $15,000 to help the Brady family offset the medical and travel expense of treating Lia.</p><p>Ordu&#241;ez said Lia's Dash will be an annual event even after Lia recovers.</p><p>"We thought that Lia's Dash will be continuing and having the funds donated to nueroblastoma research or the cancer society," Ordu&#241;ez said.</p><p>Lia was first diagnosed with neuroblastoma in August 2007 when she was just 3 years old. She had multiple tumors throughout her body and has since had tumors in her sinus cavity and her stomach.</p><p>In addition to the surgeries Lia had many chemotherapy treatments, radiation and stem cell transplant but there are still active cancer cells in her bones and bone marrow. </p><p>Brady said her daughter is currently taking medication to reduce the tumors and the family will likely take a trip to New York this year to participate in a drug trial.</p><p>Brady said that despite the exhaustiveness of her treatments and long trips to the University of California, San Francisco, Lia's spunky spirit still remains.</p><p>"She feels great," Brady said. "Last year she was in so much pain."</p><p>Lia's health has improved so much since last year that her family will be able to attend this year's Lia's Dash, something they weren't able to do before because Lia was hospitalized.</p><p>Brady said she is looking forward to meeting with the strangers and catching up the friends who have supported the event and have kept her family in their prayers.</p><p>They have received so many well-wishes from people as far as Dos Palos and Firebaugh that family friends have set up a Web site to keep people updated on her progress and milestones.</p><p>"She's very feisty," said her mother Laura. "She's finally been able to go swimming and she loves it. She's a typical little girl."</p><p>The run begins at 7:30 a.m., Sept. 27, at Gardens Park Five, 1525 Persimmon Way. Check-in and money collection will be at 6 a.m.</p><p>For more information on the event contact Maggie at 587-1239 or Robyn at 261-6392 or by visiting www.liasdash.com.</p><p><i>Enterprise reporter Minerva Perez can be reached by phone at (209)388-6565 or by e-mail at mperez@losbanosenterprise.com</i>