There is something special about the Columbus Marathon that sets it apart from other long-distance races. Each mile honors a past Nationwide Children’s Hospital patient.
This year, two Marion County boys, Cayden Jolliff, 7, of Moral, and Atreyu Roberts, 10, of Green Camp, were named marathon mile champions and will be celebrating with family and friends on race day Oct. 15. Surround yourself and cheer on the runners. .
Each boy was selected to represent a marathon mile after being a patient at the National Children’s Hospital.
Jolliffe was born with a congenital diaphragmatic hernia (CDH). This is a condition that causes his diaphragm not to develop properly, and he has been hospitalized at Children’s Hospital for over two years.
At the age of six, Roberts was diagnosed with medulloblastoma, a brain tumor in the cerebellum. The day after the Nationwide Children’s Emergency Department discovered a small, orange-sized tumor, the boy endured his 10-hour brain surgery, successfully removing the entire mass.
Since both boys made it home safely, they were honored on race day and selected to help raise money (and fun) for the National Children’s Hospital. Decorate your booth for your miles with styling.
Jolliffe, from Moral, is a one-mile mile champion, so the runners start the race to celebrate Christmas with Jolliffe, a big fan of Santa Claus. Halfway through the race at Mile 15, it’s time for Roberts to shine in a Pokémon-themed decorated booth.
Courtney Hendricks, Atreyu’s mother, reflected on her son’s journey and the excitement of being named Marathon Mile Champion, laughing that when she first received the email she didn’t believe it was real.
“We made an appointment to finish a picture of him. We created something like a biography from the time he was diagnosed with brain cancer to the day he was diagnosed, from start to finish. It’s exciting,” Hendrix said. said.
“It is an honor to have him selected among the many children seen through Children’s.”
Hendrix said she was indebted to her sons, neurosurgeon Dr. Eric Srivnick and ophthalmologist Dr. Julie Lange.
“I always say that I dedicate my life to an ophthalmologist and a surgeon. I honestly wouldn’t have been able to have a child without those two,” Hendricks said.
Hendrix is grateful that video game aficionados can get home safely, learn to walk, talk and eat again after brain surgery, and support the Columbus Marathon. Her 10-year-old at Green Camp has routine MRIs of her child every six months and is cancer-free every time.
Communities we support
For Jolliffe, the mile-by-mile Santa-loving champion of the marathon, Marion and the Morrow County community go above and beyond to donate on his fundraising page.
His mother, Gretchen Jolliffe, said that she and her family, husband Kevin Jolliffe, and stepdaughter Riley Jolliffe were able to give back to the place that gave their son life, and that his dreams were fulfilled. I believe that it will be an honor as well as it will come true.
Gretchen Jolliffe said, “The children have given us so much and we wanted to give back to them.
“It was two and a half years of our lives, and I wouldn’t trade it for anywhere else. There was only a 5% chance he would survive, so stay where he is. They I saved his life many times.”
A Marion County resident and Mt. Gilead Park Avenue elementary school teacher, her mother said that in both Marion and Morrow counties where she lives and works, her community supports her family with financial support for the fundraiser. surrounds the
In keeping with Cayden’s Christmas theme, the family created Marion t-shirts at Hessler’s Screen Printing and More. All proceeds from the shirt will go to Jolliffe’s Nationwide Children’s fundraising page.
Jolliff also taught a donation-based workout class at S&S Cardio Drumming & Fitness on August 30th, raising $370. At Mount Gilead, high school and middle school cross-country teams held a pizza fundraiser for Kaiden through Pizzaburg Pizza.
As of Monday, Jolliffe has raised nearly $7,000 and ranked fourth among 24 patient champions.
“People are really coming together,” said Gretchen Jolliffe.
Gretchen said several friends at Park Avenue had promised Caden to run for the race if he became champion. they kept their promise.
My friend and fellow teacher Holly Manzis will be running a half marathon this October. The avid runner joked that Cayden relieved her that she would be placed on the first mile, so she didn’t have to run a full marathon.
“I’m thrilled about this opportunity. I also enjoyed being part of their fundraising team because I know how important Nationwide Children’s Hospital is to their families.
“I have been friends with Gretchen since I started teaching at Mount Gilead. I remember when Kaiden was in the hospital for the first few years of his life. .”
To support Atreyu Roberts and Cayden Jolliff’s Nationwide Children’s Hospital fundraising page, visit the Children’s Champions website.
Story: Sophia Veneziano (740) 564 – 5243 ∣ sveneziano@gannett.com
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