iRun for Jonah 5k

WELCOME TO THE  iRUN FOR JONAH 5K RUN/WALK!
Pickerington High School Central Student Leadership Committee, combination of Renaissance, Student Council, Sunny Side Up, NHS, Club Hope, and Key Club, is planning the Seventh Annual iRun for Jonah 5K Walk/Run to benefit Sylvia Van Vliet and family on May 15, 2016.

SYLVIA VAN VLIET

Sylvia Van Vliet is a Freshman at Pickerington Central High School. At age 14, just two weeks into High School, she visited the doctor for what We thought to be a minor ailment. She was referred to the emergency room and less than 24 hours later, she was diagnosed with Ovarian cancer. Since then, she has undergone two major surgeries and numerous minor surgeries. After removal of the initial tumor from her abdomen, she underwent four rounds of in­patient, week­long chemotherapy. With a very high rate of success, it was hoped that the cancer would be cured. Unfortunately, just days after she completed her final round of chemo, a second tumor was found. This tumor was removed and Sylvia is currently undergoing an additional six, week­long rounds of chemotherapy. Through it all, she has remained positive, brave and hopeful.

iRUN IS HELD IN HONOR OF JONAH HOSER
This event was originally put together in the spring of 2010 to assist the family of Jonah Hoser (then a 6th grade student at Diley Middle School) to defray the expenses of a prolonged stay in the Cardiac ICU at Nationwide Children’s Hospital.Jonah Hoser was born with a severe congenital heart defect that required multiple open heart surgeries and eventually landed him on the transplant list at age 2. A week after his 4th birthday, Jonah received the Gift of Life of a new heart. This allowed Jonah to become more active and live a more normal life. Halfway through his 6th grade year at Diley Middle School, Jonah’s new heart took a turn for the worse. The team at Nationwide Children’s Hospital tried many things aimed at getting Jonah’s heart to recover, but nothing seemed to work, and Jonah was placed back on the transplant list. During this time, Jonah’s weak heart finally gave out, and he passed away on April 7, 2010. Although Jonah’s time on Earth was short, he was able to touch many hearts with his story as well as his compassion and love.

Based on the success of the original event, the school leadership along with the mutual agreement of the Hoser family has decided to continue this event annually in Jonah’s memory. A new family is selected each year to be the benefactor.