On April 1, I’m starting a 45-day running challenge for my niece, Jaiden.

Jaiden spent 45 days in the ICU after being the passenger in a horrific car accident. During that time, she fought through immense pain, seven broken bones, five surgeries, and the beginning of a long road to recovery.

She is still fighting today, learning how to eat again, learning how to walk again, and relearning many of the basic blessings we sometimes take for granted.

Right now, Jaiden can’t run, so I’m going to run for her. From April 1 through May 15, I will run every day for 45 days. The miles ran each day will represent one of the days Jaiden fought through in the ICU. For every $5 donated, I will run one mile during the challenge. To ensure transparency and integrity, I will share a mileage tracker and regular progress updates in a Facebook group throughout the 45 days so everyone can follow the miles as they add up!

I will personally run up to 200 miles during the 45 days. If donations push the miles beyond that, friends and family will step in to help complete the remaining miles, so every mile ran continues to honor the days Jaiden fought in the ICU.

All donations will go directly toward Jaiden’s continued recovery and medical expenses and are broken out as followed:

$5 = 1 mile

$10 = 2 miles

$25 = 5 miles

$50 = 10 miles

$75 = 15 miles

$100 = 20 miles

$150 = 30 miles

$200 = 40 miles

$250 = 50 miles

$300 = 60 miles

$350 = 70 miles

$400 = 80 miles

$450 = 90 miles

$500 = 100 miles

While donations will continue to run through the end of the challenge on May 15, miles connected to donations will close on April 1, the first day of the challenge. This helps keep the challenge realistic as I work to complete the 200 miles I owe, and it allows the family and friends who have volunteered to run alongside me the chance to help carry some of these miles for Jaiden.

If you feel led to support Jaiden through a donation, sharing this post, or prayer, our family would be incredibly grateful. Every mile ran will honor the fight Jaiden has already faced, and the strength she continues to show every single day.

"Let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us." - Hebrews 12:1