On April 21, 2014, Bridget Peterson of Westford will run the 118th Boston Marathon in support of Boston Children’s Hospital. As a member of Boston Children’s Miles for Miracles Team, runners have an extra incentive to push them across the finish line: helping children and families who receive world-class care at Boston Children’s.
Bridget’s connection to Children’s Hospital is a little closer to home; her patient partner is her six year old daughter, Keelan. Bridget and her husband, Mark, found out that their fourth child had a rare, complex, congenital, heart defect at about 16 weeks in utero. A few weeks later doctors in California told the couple that they, “would make her comfortable until she passed away.” The Petersons came to Boston for a second opinion and found hope with the doctors at BCH. Keelan had her first heart surgery shortly after birth, and her first open heart surgery at three months. In her first year she had a total of five heart surgeries, including two open heart surgeries. Two years ago the Peterson family moved to Massachusetts for good, and they now make their home in Westford. Keelan is a happy, healthy, first-grader at the Robinson School and though she faces more open heart surgeries, her future is bright. This year the Petersons wants to give back to the hospital that gave them their daughter. Keelan kicked off the fundraising efforts for “her hospital” by asking all of her friends to donate to Miles for Miracles instead of giving her a birthday present at her birthday party in October. The Peterson’s oldest child, Ailis, and her friend, Emma D’Amato, babysat up for ten children on December 21, 2013, so that their parents could finish their holiday shopping. All donations to Ailis and Emma were donated directly to Miles for Miracles.
The family is hosting a Have a Heart Pasta Dinner on Valentine’s Day. The event will include a silent auction, featuring art work donated by Kristine Sullivan. http://www.kjsfinearts.com The dinner will be held at the Franco-American Club in Westford.
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Miles for Miracles team members raise funds for Boston Children’s Hospital’s areas of greatest need: patient care; medical research; recruitment and training; and community health programs. Runners like Bridget meet their fundraising goal through sponsorships, personal donations, and pledges from their families, friends, community, and co-workers. The program has raised more than $16 million for Boston Children’s Hospital since 1996.
Access Bridget & Keelan's fundraising page directly through this link: http://www.milesformiracles.org/goto/bridgetpeterson
