Running a marathon is no easy feat. It takes strength, endurance and courage. That’s why Akron Children’s Hospital, as sponsor of the Akron Marathon Race Series, is recruiting kids with those qualities to help cheer racers on.
Along the route will be 13 Hero Zones featuring 24 patients who have overcome major obstacles.
“They’re not only miracles, they’re heroes,” Children’s Hospital President Bill Considine said. “They bring courage and perseverance to things that come their way.”
All but one of the zones are sponsored by area companies, universities or groups — each of which will bring personal touches for added fun, such as food, music and crafts.
Children’s will also have special commodities for Children’s Champions, 2016 marathon runners who raised $1,000 each for the hospital.
Patients will be in the zones encouraging racers and greeting and telling their stories to people who stop by.
Here’s a bit about each young hero, who chose superhero nicknames for themselves:
1. Starting line (no sponsor) — When the Spicocchi quintuplets were born, they weighed less than 10 pounds combined. The five babies’ eyes were fused shut, and they all received breathing support along with minor heart surgeries. Some became sicker, contracting infections and suffering brain bleeds while at the hospital.
Even a list of complications, including a collapsed lung, wasn’t enough to stop the siblings. Now 5 years old, the kids live in Massillon with parents Amie and Vince Spicocchi. They take regular trips to a branch of Children’s for speech, physical and occupational therapy sessions.
“Powerful” Paige, “Little Miss Giggles” Gia, “Artistic” Ellie, “Spy-lah” Ilah and “The Engineer” Enzo will all be at the starting line to kick the race off.
2. Buckingham, Doolittle & Burroughs, mile 2½ — Just days after turning 10 in 2014, Delaney Lawson was diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes. Shortly after, she found out she had celiac disease, too.
When she learned Akron Children’s Diabetes Camp would be going through some cuts from lack of funding, she and her dad, Todd, who also has diabetes, decided to take action and raise money for the camp.
Now, Delaney “The Sorcerer” is a seventh-grader at Highland Middle School and lives with her dad and mom, Christine, in Sharon Township.
3. Malone University, mile 4.85 — The 3-year-old Pryor twins have undergone more than 30 critical surgeries combined.
Lennix and Charlee were both born prematurely, weighing just a pound each, and were faced with a long list of brain, stomach and heart complications.
Their chances of survival were slim, but after spending nearly their entire first year in the hospital, Alexis Host and Nick Pryor’s twins were strong enough to make it through what seemed like the impossible.
“Super Warrior” Charlee and “Mighty Miracle” Lennix now receive regular physical therapy sessions and neurology, ophthalmology and psychiatry services at Akron Children’s, but they are healthy enough to enjoy one another’s company in their Dover home.
4. Kent State University, mile 6¼ — By the time Jordan Epps was 7, she had had her spleen and gallbladder removed.
As an infant, she was diagnosed with sickle cell disease, a blood disorder that can cause problems from severe pain and organ damage to growth impairment and strokes.
The 21-year-old said she wasn’t able to do things at the same pace as others growing up, but that hasn’t stopped her from pursuing her goals. “J-Carrie” Jordan is now a Kent State student.
5. ComDoc Inc., mile 7.15 — Emily Kungli started 2013 as a healthy 10-year-old, but what seemed like a simple summer mosquito bite landed her in the intensive care unit at Akron Children’s with encephalitis.
After she endured headaches, confusion and a fever that led to seizures, doctors placed Emily into a medically induced coma for 12 days.
When Emily woke up, though, she was back to normal.
Emily “Bubbles” is now 13 and a healthy eighth-grader at Revere Middle School. Her mother, Gretchen Naumoff, established Emily’s Sparkle Sprint in her honor to raise money for the hospital, which has since evolved into Sparkle & Sip, a wine tasting event.
6. Youngstown State University tent, mile 8.85 — Molly Burdette warned son Colin to wear his helmet while riding his ATV on trails near his house in Hubbard with friends.
When he collided into another driver and was flung from his ATV, the helmet saved his life.
Colin fractured almost every bone in his face, had a severe concussion, broke both arms and lacerated his spleen. Dr. Niyant Patel at Children’s performed a 10-hour reconstructive surgery to repair and rebuild the bones in Colin’s face.
Almost a year later, after several surgeries and physical therapy sessions, 17-year-old Colin “Kicks” was playing soccer with only a near-invisible scar to tell the tale.
7. Pediatric Palliative Care Family Support Fund, mile 9.6 — Kendal Yovanovich started complaining about discomfort while playing sports about two years ago.
She was diagnosed with Ehlers-Danlos syndrome, a disorder with no known cure that affects connective tissue elasticity.
Around the same time, Kendal’s younger sister Makenzie lost her ability to walk. She was diagnosed with a rare form of congenital muscular dystrophy called Bethlem myopathy.
Despite the disorders, Makenzie “Mak Attack,” 8, and Kendal “Stretch,” 9, stay active with the help of their parents, Jennifer and Daniel Yovanovich, with ballet, horse riding and sports.
8. Children’s Hospital Women’s Board, mile 10.4 — When Bekah Plant was 4 months old, she underwent open-heart surgery to mend two holes in her heart.
Now, the 4-year-old only sees the cardiologist for regular checkups as well as an eye specialist for an eye movement disorder called Duane syndrome.
Around Christmas, her 2-year-old brother, Sam, had a bad reaction after eating a cashew. Their parents, Sarah and Christopher Plant, took him to the hospital and discovered he had a nut allergy.
Now, Sam “Wild Man” and Bekah “Memory Maker” eat healthy foods together — without nuts.
9. Children’s Hospital, mile 11.4 — Jordan “The Determinator” Pollock from Seville has spina bifida, a birth defect preventing spinal membranes from completely closing. After years of surgeries and procedures, the 5-year-old is able to walk with leg braces.
Luke “Lightning” Holko from Green had to relearn all basic skills after he was hit by a foul ball at a Mahoning Valley Scrappers game when he was just 4 years old. Now 11, Luke continues physical therapy to guide his muscles as they grow.
Instead of taking medicine, 15-year-old James “Piano Man” Wilson from Hudson played the piano to ease his pain during chemotherapy sessions after he was diagnosed with Ewing’s sarcoma, a rare bone cancer, in 2014.
When 2-year-old “Amazing” Austin Rupp fell and broke his leg last year in Sterling, he was diagnosed with osteogenesis imperfecta, also known as brittle bone disease, which may cause him to break one to two bones a year.
Jackie “Cancer Crusher” Custer from Canton was diagnosed with lymphoblastic leukemia in 2014, which has since caused a series of complications. They haven’t stopped the 18-year-old from doing what she wants to do, though, as she attended her senior year at Jackson High School, went to prom with Cleveland Cavalier point guard Matthew Dellavedova and has been accepted to Mount Union College for nursing.
10. Goodyear Tire & Rubber, mile 13.85 — Since he was diagnosed with Crohn’s disease nearly 10 years ago, 15-year-old Caleb “Cobra” Thurman from Akron has also developed juvenile rheumatoid arthritis and psoriasis, all autoimmune disorders.
His infusion therapy treatments every six weeks don’t stop Caleb, though, as he bounces between band, choir, Flying Horse Farms camp and several sports at Firestone High School.
“I’m really excited to be part of [the marathon],” Caleb said. “It’s an honor personally to represent Children’s in such a way.”
“What we go through is not easy, but Caleb has championed through everything,” said Charice Fort, his mom. “A lot of people don’t get to see their hero in person, but I live with mine.”
11. Stark State College, mile 17½ — At age 15, Katherine Schroeder has already undergone 16 heart procedures.
She was born with congenital heart disease with a hole in her heart and an abnormal valve.
Although she tires easily, “Compassionate Kat” Katherine of Plain Township still stays active and performs on stage.
12. WKDD (98.1-FM), mile 21.4 — After Fiona Smith fell at preschool when she was 3, a trip to the hospital revealed she had Wilms’ tumor, a rare type of kidney cancer.
Despite chemotherapy sessions and having a kidney removed, Aileen and Chris Smith, Fiona’s parents, said she entertained the doctors by giving them “checkups” and kept other kids in high spirits.
“As crazy as everything was that was happening, we had some fun nights at the hospital,” said Chris Smith, who is a Children’s Champion.
Now that Fiona is two years in remission, she and her dad have started working out together to stay healthy by swimming, riding bikes and even lifting weights.
“I already run tons,” said 6-year-old “Supergirl” Fiona.
13. FirstEnergy tent, mile 25.6 — Caroline Mizer had a hard time seeing her book at story time when she was 3, so her parents, Ann and Ken Mizer, took her to see an eye doctor.
At that eye appointment, she found out she had optic nerve tumors, and by kindergarten she lost her vision completely.
She still wanted to stay active, though, so “Pavement Pounder” Caroline, now 12, began running with the group Girls on the Run. Since then, she’s completed several 5K races and plans to keep up her stride.
Theresa Cottom can be reached at 330-996-3216 or tcottom@thebeaconjournal.com. Follow her on Twitter @Theresa_Cottom.