Great Smoky Mountains Half Marathon & 5K

Help support HOPE FOR HIE (Hypoxic Ischemic Encephalopathy)  as I prepare to run in the Great Smoky Mountains Half Marathon event!

I've committed to raise money to support HOPE FOR HIE by registering as a Charity Bib for this event. 

Hello Friends,

This year I signed up to run Half Marathon event in Great Smoky Mountains in September of 2026. It has been my dream to run half marathon charity BIB. This year, I signed up to run with charity BIB that supports HOPE for HIE, and I need your help. Throughout many years of working in a medical malpractice legal field, I got to meet and work with many amazing families who have children that had traumatic birth, or went through some other traumatizing medical event that caused them to have brain injury.  Hypoxic-Ischemic Encephalopathy (HIE) is a type of brain injury that occurs when a newborn’s brain doesn’t receive enough oxygen and blood flow at or around the time of birth. This lack of oxygen can lead to long-term impacts, especially in how the brain develops and functions. I became passionate about helping these families as I learned about issues these families face on a day to day basis trying to make ends meet while taking full time care of their disabled children. The emotional and physical exhaustion along with financial stress these families go through is enormous.  Hope for HIE began as a virtual network of parents seeking to connect after their children had been diagnosed with HIE (Hypoxic Ischemic Encephalopathy). Since beginning on Facebook in 2010, the network has grown to serve thousands of families worldwide. The organization was incorporated legally in the state of Michigan in 2013, confirmed as a 501c3 nonprofit in 2014, and is governed by a U.S.-based Board of Directors. Their mission is to improve the quality of life for children and families affected by neonatal and pediatric-acquired Hypoxic Ischemic Encephalopathy through awareness, education and support. 

My goal is to raise $1,000.00, and I have until August 23, 2025 to reach my goal. Once I do, I'll be eligible to run! 

Will you help me raise money to support this incredible mission?