Children’s Challenge, to be held January 25, 2025
Annual event benefitting Wolfson Children’s moves to Riverside with 5k and 1-mile races.
What: The Wolfson Children’s Challenge presented by Subaru of Jacksonville is back for its 16th year with some exciting updates! This year, the event will feature a 5k and a 1-mile fun run, both designed to make the experience more inclusive and enjoyable for everyone. The event will occur at the Winston Family YMCA in Riverside, allowing for a special moment on the course when runners pass by the hospital’s front entrance. The challenge will continue to feature a team element as in the past, with teams now running together instead of in a relay format. Those who want to give back to Wolfson Children’s can be a part of the event by signing up as a sponsor, organizing a team or signing up individually.
When: Saturday, January 25, 2025
Registration is now open at wolfsonchildrenschallenge.com
Where: Winston Family YMCA in Riverside
221 Riverside Ave, Jacksonville, FL 32202
Who: Every year, the Wolfson Children’s Challenge honors 55 current and former patients of all ages who represent the wide range of conditions we treat at Wolfson Children’s. Known as the “Wolfson 55,” each child and family has a unique story to tell about the strength and hope it takes to fight a health battle.
Background: The Wolfson Children’s Challenge was co-founded in 2009 by the Baptist Health Foundation and Paul Wilson, whose then-newborn son, Luke, underwent corrective surgery for spina bifida just hours after his birth. Wilson and others hoped to raise $5,000 by running 55 miles, honoring the year Wolfson Children’s Hospital opened in 1955. Wilson’s mission has far surpassed the event’s initial goal, with the Wolfson Children’s Challenge raising more than $4 million to date!
This year, the Wolfson Children’s Challenge aims to raise $150,000. All proceeds benefit Wolfson Children’s Rehabilitation, a unique resource for kids’ health in Northeast Florida and South Georgia. At Wolfson Children’s Hospital and several outpatient clinics, Wolfson Children’s Rehabilitation offers comprehensive therapy services to help children of all ages with sensory, movement, feeding and communication difficulties. These clinics exclusively serve children and are designed and equipped with children in mind.
An updated course along the St. Johns River and over the Acosta Bridge provides excitement and new challenges, but as always, courageous patients will be honored and there will be family-friendly activities for everyone to enjoy.
For more information about the event or to register online, visit wolfsonchildrenschallenge.com. You can also follow us on Facebook at facebook.com/wolfsonchildrenschallenge.
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Wolfson Children’s Hospital relies on the generosity of members of our community. To support Wolfson Children’s Hospital, please visit wolfsonchildrens.com/give.
About Wolfson Children’s Hospital of Jacksonville
Nonprofit Wolfson Children’s Hospital in Jacksonville, Florida, is a part of Baptist Health, Northeast Florida’s most comprehensive health system serving every stage of life. Wolfson Children’s is the only children’s hospital in Northeast Florida and serves as the pediatric referral center for North Florida, South Georgia and beyond. Staffed 24/7 by pediatric nurses and other healthcare professionals specially trained to work with children, the 281-bed, patient- and family-centered hospital features the latest pediatric medical technology in a welcoming, child-friendly environment. At Wolfson Children’s, nationally recognized pediatric specialists representing nearly every medical and surgical specialty work with pediatricians to provide care for children of all ages with congenital heart conditions, cancer, neurological disorders, diabetes and endocrinology disorders, orthopedic conditions, behavioral health conditions, traumatic injuries, and more. Wolfson Children’s collaborates with pediatric organizations, including Nemours Children’s Health, Jacksonville, the University of Florida College of Medicine — Jacksonville, Emergency Resources Group, and Mayo Clinic Florida. A Magnet™-designated hospital since 2010, Wolfson Children’s Hospital has been named among the U.S. News & World Report 50 Best Children’s Hospitals year after year, and in 2023, was selected as one of only eight children’s hospitals in the country as a Leapfrog Top Children’s Hospital, a recognition of patient quality and safety. For additional information, please visit wolfsonchildrens.com.
