Here we are in our 16^th year of climbing for Lurie Children’s Hospital’s Step Up for Kids, my heart is overflowing with pride for all that our Jerry’s Heart Racers team has accomplished.

What has become a way to help sick kiddos across the globe started, for me, with one kiddo – mine. My Jerry.

Jerry had a harder start to life than most can imagine and, 18 years later, those struggles continue. But the only thing that matters in that sentence is “18 years later!” 18 years later and I still wake up every morning to see his smiling face. There is only one reason I get to say that and that is Lurie Children’s Hospital. Jer is here because they were there. 5 heart surgeries, 100s of tests and scans, dozens of nurses and doctors made sure that Jerry always made it back home.

Our story is not unique. That’s what Lurie’s does every day for kids all over the world. This is why we climb - to help kiddos and families that share this story. So that more families get to 18 years… and beyond.

Kristen Nowak