Save A Child's Heart Foundation

Since the beginning of August, I have been training for a solo marathon that is scheduled for the end of December. With much gratitude to the Peloton app and my kindly gifted Bombas running socks and new jacket (@Jonah Grant), my training has consisted of four runs a week, including a long run every Sunday ranging from 4-20 miles. I was inspired to get back into running over quarantine because I felt I lacked purpose, and I wanted to throw myself into something incredibly challenging but equally gratifying. So, I started slowly. I remember my first long run, huffing and puffing down the streets of Deerfield in the beating 80-degree sunlight, and to now running a half marathon through the weaving trails of Forest Park in Clayton, Missouri. My running has taken me many places, it has shown me unvisited streets of my new city, ponds, forests, small cafes, grand houses, and shortcut alleyways. However, the most important lessons I have learned from my journey are the following. Our bodies are both much stronger and much more delicate than we realize. Some days are a breeze, I jump out of bed and feel my feet bouncing off the ground effortlessly, as if I was made to go everywhere on foot. Other days, though, are incredibly difficult. Sluggish, fatigued, and apprehensive I make my way out to the streets and chug along until I find some semblance of rhythm. No matter what my mind is thinking, my body does the work that it is made to do. Somehow, over time, running has turned into a sort of prayer. A thank you. During a time when so many have lost their physical strength, my body has shown up for me every day in ways that I would have never expected it to only a few short months ago.

In the spirit of Thanksgiving, and with the needs of the world in mind, I am asking for the people in my life to help me give other people a reason to thank God for their bodies. Save a Child’s Heart is an organization that I was deeply impacted by many years ago when I visited their facility in Israel. Their mission is to save the lives of critically ill children in developing countries by bringing the children and their mothers to Israel for medical care, performing missions abroad, and training medical personnel for outreach. To save lives is of utmost importance, but to provide a comforting recovery in the arms of their mothers to children who are coming to a foreign country for cardiac surgery is to give hope to the suffering. We could all use a little more hope right now, so sponsor a mile and give other people the opportunity to use their bodies freely. And feel free to meet me at the finish line!  

A suggested amount is $18 a mile, but every dollar is worth something.

To honor Shayna and her legacy we are going to build a playroom at the SACH Children's Center and name it Shay's Room. Save A Child's Heart (SACH) saves children with heart defects from underdeveloped countries all over the world.To date they have saved over 5,000 children from 28 countries. Shayna volunteered some of her time here on earth at SACH and she cherished and enjoyed every minute of being there. The children were a huge inspiration to Shayna especially during her fight with cancer. Please help us raise money to create this wonderful tribute to Shayna,to keep her Legacy alive and her memory in our hearts.