CHARITY
RUNNING FOR CHARITY
Andrew Hays, Nicole Hays, Ashley Hartman, Barb Turgeon and Brad Turgeon are pictured at the finish line of the grandma’s marathon. This was the first marathon for all five family members. They were running in memory of Laney (Laneybug) Hays who died from leukemia November 29, 2015. Andrew and Nicole Hays are her parents. Submitted photo
Read the stories about those who run for charity BY TIM PRATT
W
e run to save kids from danger.
We run to find a cure for cancer. We run to prevent suicides. We run to prove that the power of running can change the world. Last year to mark my 52nd birthday, I ran 52 races in 52 weeks while raising $5,200 for leukemia research in memory of my dad who died of the disease. While this was a new type of challenge for me, I found there were lots of other longtime runners and people who took up running to help family members, friends
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and people they had never met. I have had the great privilege of meeting and talking with some of these wonderful people and I’m honored to share their stories with you here.
In Memorium
“At first we were like ‘that’s just crazy,’” said Barb Turgeon explaining her reaction to being asked to run a marathon. After all she’d never been a runner and now Children’s Hospital asked her entire family of nonrunners to raise money by taking part in Grandma’s Marathon. After thinking about it, Barb, her husband, Brad, their daughters, Ashley and Nicole, and Nicole’s husband, Andrew, all decided they
were in. They knew Children’s Hospital well because that’s where Nicole and Andrew’s daughter Laney was treated for leukemia. Laney Hays was just two years old when she was diagnosed with leukemia and the blood cancer would take her life just before her fourth birthday. “When you go through tragedy, you try to find something to focus on,” said Barb. “Training and raising money took the focus off the sadness.” Just like dealing with Laney’s long course of treatment, training was not easy and sometimes very painful. Barb and Brad both developed knee problems. Ashley and Nicole had stress fractures that required they shift to
