I (Stacy) was employed by Children's Hospitals and Clinics for nearly 14 years and am now assigned there as a consultant.  In 2012, I married the love of my life who I met at Children's!  Eric had also dedicated most of his working life to Children's and has a personal history there as well.  Most recently in Febraury of 2015, our son was born emergently and six weeks prematurely and was transferred to the neonatal intensive care unit at Children's Hospitals and Clinics in St. Paul on his second day of life for some respiratory support.  He spent 15 days in the NICU mostly just learning to eat and grow.  He received excellent care at Children's, and we're so happy that he's healthy and home with us, his big sister, and Labrador Retriever.

With more than 30 years of working experience at Children's between us, Eric and I continue to support Children's in any way we can.  We choose the Children's team for the kids' routine care, and we would turn to them if faced with another emergency.  I was planning to run on behalf of Children's prior to our son requiring their care as it is an organization and group of people that I love.  I run for Children's families, patients and programs that rely on community support.  I run for the brother-in-law (and our kids' uncle) who I never got to meet who was treated for pediatric cancer at Children's many years ago.  I have been told he was the happiest little kid, and I want to honor him, his family and caregivers.  I run in thanks for my experiences at Children's and the coworkers, friends (and my new family too!) that I wouldn't have met elsewhere.

I recruited my brother Mark to run with me for several reasons:

• there isn't a home Gopher football game on race day (I've been known to mess up football season with a mid-September wedding and our daughter arriving in early September the following year)
• we both love the exercise
• we don't get to spend that much time together anymore
• without Mark's Gopher hockey tickets, I don't know if my first date with Eric ever would have happened!

Mark is the best brother, and I can always count on him.  I suspect he'll be by my side on the road in October and always.

Thank you for your support of our efforts on behalf of Children's Hospitals and Clinics of Minnesota. 

Wishing you all the best in health and happiness!