We attended our first Kids are #1 Run event at Akron Children’s this weekend after being invited to join Team Sofie. There was a variety of vendors and activities for the kids – face painting, hair spray dyeing, animals and creating children’s names with sticky letters and building blocks.
Randy, Jordan and some friends joined in the Fun Run walk, marking Jordan’s first official race. We couldn’t have asked for better weather.
I’ve been running for the past few months and decided to try the 5K run. I heard the course was hilly but wasn’t quite expecting the long, slow grade. It was definitely a challenge. When the uphill seemed to last a long time, I thought of how hard our little man works to stand and how he grunts to get through a challenge when he is tired.
I’ve been reflecting about how kids are truly #1. They fight through challenges, and many never complain about the daily struggles of suffering through a tough diagnosis or having physical challenges. They seem to ignore these things and look for the fun in life. Sunday’s event proved this very point.
It was all about kids and families having fun. It was about those who might not be the fastest or strongest fighting to finish a race. It was about watching 100+ dogs running, walking or resting under a tree and enjoying each other’s company. It was about the excitement of playing games and making a craft.
It was about being part of a greater cause and helping a hospital that has made a difference in countless lives.
Though our journey through Akron Children’s NICU lasted 9 days, we visit on a 3-month schedule because we feel this is our family.
When we walk in the doors to the Considine Building or across the bridge to the hospital, we have a sense that this place has made a forever impact and holds a special place in our hearts.
Even by joining Team Sofie, we continue to connect with people we would have never met without Akron Children’s. For those who were in attendance physically, emotionally or spiritually, we’re happy to be part of such a fun-filled event for a great cause.
In the end, the greatest prize for me was hearing Randy’s voice cheer me across the finish line and sharing a banana after the race with our prize – Jordan Matthew Pollock.
Read more about Megs’ and Randy’s journey of raising a child with spina bifida through her blog, Labor of Love.
