Miracle Monday: Run with children’s hospital in 17th annual 5k

AUGUSTA, Ga. (WRDW/WAGT) - A big fundraiser for the Children’s Hospital of Georgia is coming up and you can for it.

Heart and Sole is a non-profit that benefits the hospital through an annual 5k walk and run.

We went to see how this event helps the children’s hospital in more ways than one.

Heart and Sole began 17 years ago in memory of Stacey Garner’s niece, Bowen Mcelreath.

Mcelreath was born in Macon with an undiagnosed heart condition and needed to be on an ECMO machine to help her breathe.

Stacey Garner, founder and president of Heart and Sole Incorporated, says, “My sister and brother and in law chose to come home to Augusta where we have a great facility for the ECMO.”

Mcelreath spent 10 days in the NICU before ing away. She was 13 days old.

Garner says her family is forever indebted to this hospital and thankful for the care they provided to not only Mclereath but her children.

“Life came full circle for my family, so not only do we have Bowen, but I personally never thought I would be using it myself. I always say it’s kind of like that commercial we’ll always leave the light on for you because they’re always here,” Graner says.

A way Garner and her family can show their appreciation for the hospital is through Heart and Sole’s annual 5k walk and run.

Last year they donated 75 thousand dollars to equipment in the operating room, like the machine which allows doctors to see inside the lungs. The children’s hospital does about 25 to 30 cases a day.

Seth Kirkland, a nurse at Children’s Hospital of Georgia, says, “It’s a big buy-in on the community’s part to have us better serve the kids in the community and the surrounding areas.”

Heart and Sole s various departments at the children’s hospital including the camp strong heart.

A week-long camp during the summer for kids with special hearts.

Macie Meeks, the director of Camp Strong Heart child life specialist, says, “We get to take them to camp and allow them to have normal camp experiences, but we also take along a whole team of doctors and nurses and make sure they’re taken care of. They get to spend time with other kids with similar diagnoses and have fun and be a kid.”

Garner says Heart and Sole’s annual 5k walk and run was created for the whole family.

Whether you’re walking, running, volunteering, or participating for or in memory of someone, this is for you.

“This 5k is so awesome because it starts here at the children’s hospital, goes through downtown Augusta and comes back to the children’s hospital, so it’s keeping where the heart is, right here,” Garner says.

The 17th annual Heart and Sole 5k will be Mar. 4 in downtown Augusta and will kick off at 9 a.m.

The course will start and end at the Children’s Hospital of Georgia.

You can head to Heart and Sole to or make a donation.

If you want to continue helping make miracles happen at the Children’s Hospital of Georgia, visit Augusta University Health.

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