CONWAY — The Faulkner County Circle of Friends chapter, which works to raise funds and awareness for Arkansas Children’s Hospital in Little Rock, will hold its fifth Annual Freezin’ for a Reason 5K and 10K and Lap for Life at 9 a.m. Feb. 4 at John McConnell Stadium at Conway High School.
Karil Greeson of Conway, race director, said the goal is to raise $40,000 and have 800 participants.
“We had about 816 last year,” she said.
Greeson credits Arkansas Children’s Hospital with saving the life of one of her identical twin daughters, who were born in 2013. They had an “extremely rare form” of twin-to-twin transfusion syndrome, and Isabella had to be hospitalized. Greeson said in an earlier interview that she believes it if weren’t for Arkansas Children’s Hospital, Isabella would have died.
Today, “they’re doing great,” she said.
The race was initiated by the chapter as a way to honor the memories of Charlotte and Stella Mulhearn, daughters of Amanda and Travis Mulhearn of Conway, who received treatment at Arkansas Children’s Hospital. They died five years apart of unrelated causes.
Charlotte died at 6 weeks old in 2007 of a rare viral infection in her heart. Stella, who had just turned 3, died in 2012 of a brain tumor.
“It’s absolutely amazing and wonderful that it’s still going on after five years,” she said.
She said the race started as a way to give back to Arkansas Children’s, as well as to help others who were dealing with grief. Mulhearn said she ran a race to benefit another hospital the year Charlotte died.
“It gave me something to do in a positive way with that, really, anger I felt — to move in a positive way.”
Mulhearn said some people “latch onto these stories” of people whose families have been helped at Arkansas Children’s Hospital; others just want to participate in a well-organized race.
“It has to go beyond just our story to continue to be successful and to give back,” Mulhearn said.
To register for the race, or for more information, visit www.freezin4areason.org.
Greeson said proceeds from the race will go to the hematology/oncology unit at Arkansas Children’s Hospital, as well as the kids after-hours hotline and the Circle of Friends Clinic in Little Rock.
Sponsors are being accepted for the event, too, and there are multiple levels for businesses. To become a sponsor, contact Greeson at freezin4areason@yahoo.com or (501) 450-0512.
Circle of Friends members work to promote children’s health through education, advocacy and fundraising for the state’s only pediatric medical facility. The Faulkner County chapter is one of 13 chapters in Arkansas.
Senior writer Tammy Keith can be reached at (501) 327-0379 or tkeith@arkansasonline.com.