Alberta Children's Hospital Fun Run

The Fun Run in Support of the Alberta Children's Hospital Foundation

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Details - Sunday, April 28th, 2024 at 9am to 12pm:

[UPDATE: April 15th, 2024: We are incredibly grateful for the overwhelming response by the community. Due to space restrictions, we are closing down registration. We look forward to seeing registered participants at the event!]

Come join us for a fun filled morning social run to celebrate movement as we raise funds for the Alberta Children's Hospital Foundation. This is a kids friendly event, so please bring out the family! Raffles, ice cream, coffee and plenty of fun to be had!

We will start at 9am. Kidstrong, an organization focused on developing kids confidence through movement, will lead a warm-up session at 9:15am. The adult 5km and kids runs will start from the community center and there will be a second wave adult 5km starting at 9:45am for parents who would like to swap out. Kidstrong will have games and activities for the children during the adult run. If you're not up for a run, walking is also encouraged!

After our runs (or walks), we will have a raffle to give away donations from our generous sponsors, with kid-friendly and adult prizes to be won!

Coffee is being provided by Monogram Coffee and Village Ice Cream will be providing an ice cream treat for event participants.

Generously hosted by the amazing Marda Loop Communities Association - 3130 16th Street SW, Calgary, AB T2T 4G7.

Raffle Prizes:

• a variety of toys from the Alberta Children's Hospital Foundation.
• a private kids party at a Kidstrong location ($450 value).
• 4 x $100 Gift Certificates from Gord's Running Store ($400 value).
• 2 x $150 Gift Certificates to Subtle Beauty Inc. ($300 value).
• 1 month unlimited class membership at YYC Cycle ($225 value).
• 1 month Elite membership at Orange Theory along with a heart rate monitor rental - University District or Kensington location ($159 value).
• 1 night stay at the ALT Hotel in University District ($150 value).
• Arc'teryx apparel.
• 2 tickets to see Crescendo at Jack Singer Hall on June 15, 2024. CRESCENDO is a one-of-a-kind musical event produced by the John Cameron Experience ($200 value).
• 3 x $50 Gift Certificates for the Canadian Brewhouse ($150 value).
• a $50Gift Certificate from the Banquet Bar - University District ($50value).
• a $25 Gift Certificate from Fuwa Fuwa Pancakes ($25 value).
• 2 x $25 Gift Certificates from Borough Bar and Grill ($50 value).

Please register below so we can track participation. All are welcome!

There are no fees to participate though we ask that you please donate to the Alberta Children's Hospital Foundation if you can help: https://my.childrenshospital.ab.ca/fundraiser/5136200. Donations above $20 will receive a tax receipt from the Children's Hospital.

Sponsors:

• The Alberta Children's Hospital Foundation (https://www.childrenshospital.ab.ca/)
• Kidstrong (https://www.kidstrong.com/)
• Gord's Running Store (https://gordsrunningstore.com/)
• Subtle Beauty Inc. (https://www.subtleyyc.ca/)
• YYC Cycle (https://yyccycle.com/)
• Orange Theory (https://www.orangetheory.com/en-ca)
• ALT Hotel (https://www.germainhotels.com/en/alt-hotel/calgary-university-district)
• Monogram Coffee (https://monogramcoffee.com/)
• Village Ice Cream (https://villageicecream.com/)
• Arc'teryx Alberta (https://arcteryx.com/ca/en)
• The Canadian Brewhouse at University District (https://thecanadianbrewhouse.com/)
• Fuwa Fuwa Pancakes (https://www.fuwafuwapancakes.com/)
• Borough Bar & Grill (https://www.boroughbar.ca/)
• The Banquet (https://thebanquetbar.com/)

Inspiration for the Run - From the Organizers:

We are so fortunate to be able to celebrate our son, James, and the journey that he has been on. On February 16, 2023, at the young age of 4, James was diagnosed with Group A Streptococcal pneumonia, which resulted in toxic shock syndrome. As a result, he required emergency ECMO therapy, which came with stark probabilities of survival. Due to his critical illness and the ECMO therapy, James sustained a right MCA territory stroke, resulting in significant left sided weakness to his body.

Our world was turned upside down. We lived at the Stollery Hospital and Ronald McDonald House in Edmonton for 10 days, and then in the Children's Hospital in Calgary for another 6 weeks. Fortunately, we witnessed incredible developments in recovery from both the illness and from the stroke, as James demonstrated resilience and tenacity.

The grace, talent, humanity, compassion and technical skills of the doctors, nurses and rehabilitation team at the Calgary Children's Hospital, as well as the Stollery Children's Hospital in Edmonton saved his life. We were also very fortunate to be able to have access to the ECLS program, which undoubtedly played a role in James' survival. We later found out that the ECLS/ECMO program is only available because the foundation fundraised and paid for it, so that kid's like James have a fighting chance of survival when their illness affects their heart and lung function. As James' parents, we are forever grateful and indebted to the Children's Hospital Foundation. We are incredibly lucky to have been able to receive life-saving treatment and for James to respond positively.

We are committed to paying it forward and will do what we can to help raise money for the Alberta Children's Hospital Foundation, which cares for more than 100,000 kids every year! Every child deserves access to the best possible care.

Your support of child health care programs and research through the Alberta Children’s Hospital Foundation is helping experts continue to deliver the best care possible to kids who need it, when they need it.

Thank you for supporting and if you’re inspired, please share this initiative with friends and family.

With love,

Matt, Dianne, James and Izzy