JACKSONVILLE, Fla. \u2013 Nearly 1,000 runners, walkers and wheelchair athletes took to the streets of San Marco on Saturday for the third annual Nemours Children\u2019s Health Run and Walk.<\/p>\n
Organizers said the event raises money and celebrates families touched by the pediatric health system.<\/p>\n
\u201cRunning \u2014 running a lot,\u201d Kristin Parme said as she and her son, Liam, prepared for the race.<\/p>\n
The family-friendly event included music, costumed characters and activities for children, and drew wide community support, including participants with Ainsley\u2019s Angels, which pairs athletes with people with disabilities.<\/p>\n
Nemours Children’s Health Run and Walk (Copyright 2025 by WJXT News4JAX – All rights reserved.)<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s good to see them give back and help these kids raise money for them and everything,\u201d Kristin Parme said. \u201cIt makes you feel good.\u201d<\/p>\n
Kim Hetrick ran with her son, Jake, who was diagnosed with cerebral palsy and has been treated at Nemours since childhood. Hetrick said doctors once questioned whether Jake would reach adulthood; he is now 29.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe\u2019re really thrilled to be able to give back and do what we love doing together \u2014 racing,\u201d Hetrick said. \u201cI don\u2019t think they expected him to live to adulthood. Now I tell him he\u2019s pushing 30,\u201d she laughed.<\/p>\n
Twelve-year-old Jeremy Setzer ran and donated proceeds from his business, 904 Bracelets, to Nemours. <\/p>\n
\u201cEvery year, it\u2019s fun. You get to support them. You get out on a Saturday,\u201d Jeremy and his mother, Lauren Setzer said.<\/p>\n
Many participants said they or their families have been patients at Nemours. Shenaja Eades said she was born with hemihypertrophy and visited Nemours as a child. Elexia Solomon said she was born with a rare immune disorder and now works at Nemours.<\/p>\n
\u201cDon\u2019t give up, keep going, keep pushing through. Pray about it and just live your life and do what you can,\u201d they said.<\/p>\n
News4JAX reporter Caleb Yauger spoke with runners who said Nemours saved their lives.<\/p>\n
All proceeds go to Nemours Children\u2019s Health, which helps critically ill and injured children get the care they need.<\/p>\n