When a child is going through an illness, the siblings tend to take a backseat -- but they are profoundly affected by everything going on.
A sister who knows that firsthand is doing something to help other families. She’s doing it through the third annual Run Walk N Roll on June 19.
The Sheeren family describes it as going through a storm for years -- 21-year-old Elizabeth has been sick for a very long time.
Her sister, Claire Sheeren, founded the Run, Walk n Roll. She said she couldn’t just watch as a complex, progressive and incurable immune disease stripped her sister of her quality of life. She wanted to do something.
“She’s had a slow decline,” Sheeren said. “Elizabeth’s senior year of high school, she had a rapid progression of the disease. Her whole senior year in high school she was in the hospital. It’s been very difficult.”
Claire said she couldn’t watch a complex, progressive and incurable immune disease stripped her sister of her quality of life. She wanted to do something.
“One night I was sitting at our kitchen table with my friend and we were feeling sad for Elizabeth,” Sheeren said. “It was really hard to see. We decided we wanted to do something to help. Run, Walk n Roll was born.”
Run, Walk n Roll is a 5K to benefit the Palliative Care program at C.S. Mott Children’s Hospital.
“Palliative Care has been so impactful in sister’s journey,” Sheeren said.
The first year, she raised $46,000. Last year, even though it was virtual, she raised $39,000. This year, she’s up to $47,000 and counting. Sheeren said it’s an incredible way to make something beautiful out of all of the brokenness and suffering her family and especially Elizabeth have gone through.
“Every year I come back to how much joy I get from it,” she said. “The joy it has and the impact on patients and families fighting difficult battles.”
Click here to sign up or donate to the Run, Walk n Roll. This year the race has a virtual and in-person option scheduled for June 19.
The money is donated to Mott Children’s Hospital through “Elizabeth’s Courage Fund.” This year they hope to fund a music therapist to add to the Palliative Care team.