Children's Hospital Boston | Children's News Online

04.11.03

Runners and walkers provide inspiration

On March 26, the tortoise and the hare kicked off the new Miles for Miracles fundraiser. The 7- and 2-mile pledge walks will be held Saturday, June 21 along the Charles River.

You can get involved by suggesting names for the tortoise and hare mascots—the winner will take home Brigham’s ice cream certificates. (Entries are due April 20.) For more information or to register, visit www.chtrust.org/walk or call (617) 303-WALK.

he Kids at Heart Marathon Team has raised nearly $3 million since it was formed seven years ago—funds that support patient care, research, community health and medical education.

This year, the team is dedicating its efforts to Katie Lynch, a former Children’s patient and employee who conquered her own marathon achievement two years ago by walking the first 26.2 feet of the race. Katie died in October at the age of 27, but the memory of her energy and positive attitude inspires the team.

The runners also find inspiration in over 100 patients and families who have volunteered their support as “Patient Partners.” In addition to encouraging runners throughout their training, many of these patients and families have played a key role in runners’ fundraising. But fundraising is only part of the contribution that the athletes make. Just as the patients inspire the runners, the Kids at Heart team generates inspiration and enthusiasm for the mission of Children’s Hospital Boston—in the community and among patients, families, staff and employees. Here are a few of their stories:

Kate Marshall is running for her son C.J. When her son survived a rare, often-fatal lung disease, Kate Marshall vowed to help families in similar situations. When he was just hours old, her son C.J. was diagnosed with primary pulmonary hypertension (PPH) a disease that would require him to get a lung transplant.

Extensive research by Children’s specialists indicated that nitric oxide—a drug originally intended to prolong a patient’s life while awaiting a lung transplant—could potentially save C.J’s life. C.J. was treated with the drug, and showed such significant improvement that he no longer needs lung transplant.

Teresa Prego is running for two of her daughters
Teresa Prego is a frequent visitor to Children’s because two of her children are patients. Eighteen-month-old Mia is a Cardiology patient, and fourth-grader Gabi is treated in the Epilepsy program. In November, Gabi came back to Children’s for her second neurosurgery, an ordeal that inspired Teresa to join the Kids at Heart Marathon Team for a second year in a row. “If Gabi could go through two more weeks of treatment,” says Teresa, “certainly I could run again.”

If Gabi’s courage inspired her mom, it also served as a lesson to her classmates in fourth grade: the students designed a t-shirt and are selling it to raise funds for the Kids at Heart team.

Matthew O’Malley was a Children’s patient
Matthew is a former Children’s open-heart surgery patient. He was admitted to Children’s in 1990 for a relatively routine appendectomy, but while he was in the recovery room, a nurse discovered an abnormal heartbeat. Tests showed that his left ventricle ran backwards, an extremely rare problem that caused an erratic heartbeat and improper blood flow from his heart.

Children’s cardiovascular surgeons performed a successful bypass operation, and a decade later Matt ran his first marathon. “It’s a clear testament to the abilities of the doctors and staff of Children’s that a heart patient was able to endure a 26.2 mile race says Matt. I have continued with my running and am pleased to have the opportunity to join this team.”