A MESSAGE FROM Running for Ruth
Ruth's fight began before she was born. Diagnosed at 21 weeks with Congenital CMV (cytomegalovirus), we were told she would never make it to birth. Ruth had other plans. Ruth was born on Friday, October 13 (a true spooky baby) at 34 weeks and spent 84 days in the NICU at Cincinnati Children's Hospital. Her stay was a journey full of ups and downs, but she continued to fight and surprise everyone with her resilience and will to live. While Ruth spent a significant amount of time in the hospital, she did have several months at home where she was spoiled with love and attention from her family, especially her big sister, Nora. After an extended hospital stay, Ruth's health began to quickly decline and she lost her fight with CMV on June 3, 2024 at 7.5 months old.
The New York City Marathon is my chance to honor Ruth. I will run every step of the 26.2 miles for her; for her memory, so that her life has a bigger purpose, so that people will remember how brave she was, and for the kids and families who are still fighting CMV.
Our family would be honored if you would donate to the National CMV Foundation in Ruth's memory and assist in our mission to spread awareness about CMV.
Thank you for your donation to the National CMV Foundation,
Inc. We are a non-profit organization dedicated to promoting awareness,
providing access to resources, and sharing prevention information to eliminate
congenital cytomegalovirus (CMV).
CMV is the most common congenital viral infection in the
United States, affecting 30,000+ newborns per year, yet, only 9% of people know
about it. If given proper education from the medical community before or during
pregnancy, women can be empowered to make informed decisions about their health
and their baby’s future. Your gift is extremely important to us and will offer
immediate resources that are directed to awareness campaigns and pediatric
research opportunities. These resources will impact the public health services
urgently needed in our communities.
