In April of 2000 Heather Kristin Leonardi was diagnosed with Non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma, a cancer of the lymph system. She battled this deadly disease for 11 months and died on March 31, 2001 at Children’s Mercy Hospital in Kansas City, Missouri.

Toward the end of Heather’s treatment two of her teachers approached Heather’s parents asking if they could hold a run in Heather’s honor to help pay for medical bills. Thus, in May of 2001 Heather’s Run was born. The following year a friend of Heather’s mother’s asked if she could continue the run and the task was taken up by members of St. Margaret’s Episcopal Church in Lawrence, Kansas – (Heather’s church) and many other people in the Lawrence community.

2005 marks the 5^th anniversary of Heather’s Run and the birth of the Heather’s Run Website!

Proceeds from Heather’s run go to helping pediatric oncology patients and their families at Children’s Mercy Hospital. In past years the run has paid for: monthly rent, car repair bills, plane tickets for out of state surgical procedures, phone bills, funeral services and a head stone. There are many organizations who help families in need and those are always tapped first – but there is always more need, that’s where we come in.

Thank you for your interest in Heather’s Run and in helping the many oncology families at Children’s Mercy Hospital who face childhood cancer!

About us and why we created this site.