One Ohio dad went above and beyond to show his appreciation for the hospital that is currently treating his 4-year-son for cancer. PEOPLE reports that Kolt Codner ran an entire marathon around Akron Children’s Hospital to raise funds and show his appreciation for the local hospital.
Due to COVID-19, the Akron marathon, benefiting Akron Children’s Hospital, was changed to a virtual event this year and Codner decided to get creative. In honor of his son Andrew who is currently being treated for B-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia, Codner ran the entire 26.2-mile race around the building.
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Dedicated Dad Runs Marathon Around Hospital Treating His Son with Cancer
“We have had just a phenomenal experience there,” shared Codner. “The doctors and the nurses have made this the best possible experience we could possibly hope to have. We thought this was something we could do to try to give back and show appreciation for the experience we’ve had.”
During the race, the determined dad was joined by his wife Tristan for a couple of miles. Together, the family raised an impressive $16,000 for the hospital.
“I couldn’t think of a better way to celebrate the hospital and celebrate the amazing caregivers inside there,” added Codner. “It’s been an amazing experience and the outpouring of support shows how much Akron Children’s has meant to many different families here in the region… and how much our stories resonated with folks that have gone through similar experiences.”
Nothing meant more to the proud papa than seeing his son cheering him on. “I came around one corner and I was still almost a full block away, but I could hear him screaming, ‘Go, Dad, go! Run faster!’. He had brought his drums and he had a little trumpet out there, and he had made signs, and he was cheering me on.”