CHAMPIONS CORNER
SPIRIT AWARD
Each year the Nationwide Children’s Hospital Columbus Marathon & 1/2 Marathon recognizes select participants who have overcome a major obstacle to train for one of its events. Please check out these inspiring stories by watching our video here or reading the great stories below:
TWEETS, MESSAGES & MORE
Chelsea Nelson, Columbus OH
Chelsea was diagnosed at the young age of 21 with stage 4 Hodgkin's lymphoma. After 12 chemo treatments and 20 radiation treatments, she found out she was cancer free on June 8, 2011. After she completed treatment, Chelsea started working out with a personal trainer to get her strength back. Through training, she realized that she loved to run and started to train for 5ks, never thinking she would ever be able to run 3.1 miles. Now, she's training for half marathons. She had also turned around to help a friend whose daughter was diagnosed with leukemia, covering work shifts and assisting the family in any way she was able to. She is an inspiration for not only beating cancer, but also for being a true friend.
Christina Penton-Weaver, Columbus OH
Christina (Tina) has been training for her first half-marathon, despite undergoing intense chemotherapy treatments for leukemia. In the course of one of her training runs, she was stung by a bee. Being severely allergic, she was taken by ambulance to a hospital, and declared, "If leukemia can't kill me, a bee won't either!" This determination and drive will be with her on the course as she completes the Nationwide Children's Columbus 1/2 Marathon on Oct. 20.
Lindsay Meeker, Cincinnati OH
When Lindsay’s father was diagnosed with Huntington’s Disease, she underwent genetic testing in October 2011. Despite having a 50% chance of having a genetic marker for the disease, her results were negative. She still recognized that though she was free from Huntington’s Disease, her lifestyle kept her from being in control of her overall wellness. She set a goal: Lindsay would train for a marathon and do 26 miles for her 26thbirthday whiles fundraising for the fight against Huntington’s Disease. Through her hard work and an upbeat, positive personality, she has lost more than 53 pounds and is looking forward to being on the starting line at this year’s Columbus marathon.
Chelsea Tibbitts, New Albany OH
After losing her younger sister, 20-year-old Annie, in May, Chelsea organized iAMBliss, a team dedicated to raising funds for the Anne Marie Bowe Scholarship Fund at Project Bliss which is an organization providing affordable treatment of eating disorders. Annie was a runner who ran with purpose. She ran for those that could not run themselves, but in her fight she could not outrun her eating disorder. Chelsea will be running her first Half Marathon in Annie's honor. Chelsea has mobilized the legs, hearts and wallets of 30 participants who have raised over $12,000 in the short time since Annie's death. These funds go to individuals who need treatment so they can outrun their eating disorder and win. Her goal is simply to save sisters everywhere from experiencing the loss that she has. In Chelsea's weakest point she has demonstrated strength. Strength in her heart, her legs and most notably her character.
Corey Stiver, Columbus, OH
As a fellow in The Heart Center at NCH, Dr. Stiver knows how special the care is that we provide to families. In April of last year, she got to experience that care from another angle as her son, Noah, was born with congenital heart disease and underwent corrective surgery at 5 days of age. Because of the wonderful staff at Children's, he came home at 11 days and has not looked back since. Today, he is a healthy, happy boy. Corey is running in Noah's honor as well as to honor the excellent and caring staff who took care of him.
Sue Piechota, Olean, NY
Sue Piechota is a dedicated nurse and retired teacher/administrator, and a race walker since her first marathon in 2004. Just as training for the Nationwide Children's Hospital 1/2 Marathon was beginning in July, she was diagnosed with a tumor on her pituitary gland that was pressing on her optic nerve. The tumor was successfully removed through surgery at the end of August. Sue has vowed to not let a tumor or brain surgery keep her from participating in and completing her favorite race, the Columbus marathon, just two months after surgery.
Robbie Lustig, Gahanna, OH
Robbie, a 22 year old Ohio State senior, received the news that his mother had been diagnosed with ovarian cancer this past spring. He decided to run his first half marathon as a way to honor the strength and courage that his mother has displayed during treatment. He dedicates this race to her and for an end to all cancer, and he hopes to inspire her to never give up in her fight.
Rita Burke and Sue Hamilton, Columbus OH and Centerburg, OH
After completing her first half marathon last year at the age of 81, Rita will be participating in the 1/2 marathon again this year. Rita receives a 3 to 4 hour IV infusion once a month to help boost her immune system. She also assists with the care of her 10-year-old grand daughter who has cerebral palsy. Rita’s daughter Sue was diagnosed with Stage IV Melanoma in 2009 with a life expectancy of 6 months. After undergoing a radical surgery in 2009 and then 57 doses of experimental chemotherapy in 2010, Sue participated in her first half marathon in 2011. Throughout her treatment, Sue continued to work full-time as well as participate in her teenage children’s school and sports activities.
Jamie Hart, Columbus OH
In 2010, Jamie was shot in the face by his ex-fiancée, causing him to lose part of his skull and his left eye. After undergoing eight reconstructive surgeries, Jamie began to find things to celebrate and discovered a love for running. He has participated in select 1Ž2 marathon races where the entry fees went towards worthy, local nonprofit causes and is working with local entities to set up a charity 5K to raise awareness of Domestic Violence. In the wake of his shooting and recovery, Jamie has discovered new limits to what he can and can’t do, and has learned to push himself to new heights.
Brandon Lipsey, Columbus
Brandon Lispsey was a Floor Technician and was auto scrubbing the floors of Jennifer Sawchuk’s building last September. Jennifer’s son, Nicholas Sawchuk, was battling brain cancer and was one of the Patient Champions for the Nationwide Children's Hospital Columbus Marathon. He came across her door and saw pictures of Nicholas and was able to piece together his story. Though he'd never met Jennifer before, he wrote a letter to her that night and told her that he was so moved by her son and his fight, that he wanted to run the marathon on behalf of Nicholas. And he did! Despite only training for two weeks, Brandon completed the 2012 Nationwide Children's Hospital Columbus Marathon and he's training again this year to do the 2013 event.
Amanda Keller, Columbus, OH
After the loss of her infant son, Amanda knew the importance of keeping her son's spirit alive both through education about his diagnoses and by sharing what an amazing little boy he was. The process of training and running helped her further work through the bereavement process. She is running again this year and has created a t-shirt that lists many of her son's diagnoses and shows the world that she is running in his honor. Her dedication to training and completing the half continues to help her make great progress through the bereavement process and to celebrate and honor her son.
THE PARTNERSHIP CONTINUES
Nationwide Children’s Hospital is honored to be the title beneficiary for the Nationwide Children’s Hospital Columbus Marathon & 1/2 Marathon for the second year.
The 2013 event raised $1.25 million and counting for Nationwide Children's Hospital in the second year of the partnership. This includes a $200,000 contribution from the Columbus Marathon board of trustees; $100,000 of that contribution will be directed to the Pulmonary Department at Nationwide Children's in honor of long-time Columbus Marathon volunteers Brent and Catherine LaCount and their daughter, Berkley.
You can still make a donation today for the life-saving work of Nationwide Children's Hospital by clicking here.
