Miracles at the Disney Princess Half Marathon

By Amber Ferrell

I have always wanted to run a half-marathon. I have been in awe of people who could push their bodies and minds to run several miles, and I have wanted to at least try to see if I could portray the same mental and physical stamina. So, when I realized that the Disney Princess Half Marathon was sponsored by Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals, I knew that this race HAD to be my very first half marathon. I felt so humbled and honored to run alongside so many "miracle makers:" individuals who were committed to raising awareness and funds for the kids treated in the 170 CMN Hospitals across North America.

When I first started training several months ago, I decided to wear my CMN Hospitals hat during every run to help serve as a reminder of why I was running. This poor hat weathered copious amounts of sweat, rain showers, and countless cycles through the washing machine, but it was a wonderful companion on each of my runs. There would be times when I didn’t want to run, my knees and feet hurt, or I just wanted to give up, but seeing the iconic yellow and red balloon on it reminded me of the sometimes difficult journey many of our kids face each and every day. This hat reminded me that I was running for the 10 million kids treated in Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals each year.

And it reminded me that I was running for my son.

My son, Nate, was born with a genetic condition called Mitochondrial disease. He has been a patient at our local Children’s Miracle Network Hospital since shortly after his birth. Nate's body relies on the continuous help from medical equipment, medication, and the close care from his 9 specialists at our hospital to keep him healthy. We have truly seen the impact donations to Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals has made on not only Nate’s life, but the lives of every single child who steps into our Children’s Hospital.

Running the Disney Princess Half-Marathon, alongside over 400 Miracle Makers for CMN Hospitals, brought a wide array of emotions throughout the entire race. Almost 2 miles into the race, we were greeted with a huge Children’s Miracle Network Hospital balloon and inspirational quotes to help us keep going. I smiled while reading each and every quote—until I read the last one:

“You Got This!”

These three little words instantly brought tears to my eyes because these are the words I have said to Nate countless times while holding his hand as he has endured different tests or treatments. “You got this, Buddy.” Several of these moments came flooding into my memory as I remembered some of the more difficult times of Nate’s life. Running and crying isn’t very feasible, so it took everything in me to wipe the tears away and control my breathing again.

Throughout the run, it always warmed my heart when a fellow Miracle Maker would run past. Our shared smiles and glinting eyes would communicate “You got this!” to each other. It was so incredibly humbling to run with so many individuals whose hearts are with our kids treated at Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals.

The run started to get difficult right before Mile 8. I kept envisioning a golf cart riding up right beside me and asking me to hop in to take me to the finish line. But right as I reached the Mile 8 marker, the sun rose above the horizon, and it made me think about the families watching the sunrise from their hospital rooms as we ran. This thought made me tear up all over again, but it also gave me such an incredible push to keep running for each of these kids. “You got this!”

Crossing that finish line and seeing my family was so amazing! They were reluctant to get sweaty hugs, but that didn’t stop me from smothering them with hugs and kisses. I did it! I finished! 13.1 miles in the books.

I ran with the constant encouragement of “You got this!” in my head. While this quote was intended for the runners, I kept thinking that this is what Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals means for the millions of children they help each year. They are essentially telling each of these kids “You got this. We are here to help.”

Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals® was the presenting sponsor and celebratory charity of the Disney Princess Half Marathon Weekend. This year, 406 charity runners — including Amber Ferrell — pledged to raise money for the organization while they trained for the event. Collectively, this group of "Miracle Makers" raised $440,000. Funds raised for Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals in conjunction with this magical event will help kids grow up happily ever after. Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals raises funds and awareness for 170 children’s hospitals in the U.S. and Canada, which, in turn, use the money where it’s needed the most.