Magic Moments
Local wish-granting organization Magic Moments is holding its first fundraising run, the BHM26.2 Marathon, on April 15. Three Vestavia Hills children will be among the kids honored on the mile markers along the run.
Magic Moments is based in Birmingham and grants wishes to children across the state with chronic and life-threatening illnesses. Development Coordinator Anna Martin said the organization decided to create the BHM26.2 Marathon after their previous fundraising partnership with the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus ended with the circus’s closure.
The marathon course winds through downtown Birmingham, starting and ending at Railroad Park, and each mile along the way is marked by children who have previously received Magic Moments wishes. Depending on their health, several of the children will be at their mile markers to cheer the runners on.
Among them are three Vestavia Hills residents: Emme Nichols, Maisie House and Phillip Moss.
Emme is a fifth-grader at Vestavia Hills Elementary Central who was diagnosed with a brain tumor in summer 2015. She received a trip to Disney World from Magic Moments in 2016 and since then, her mother Amy Nichols said, the family has participated in several fundraisers for the nonprofit.
“We want to be able to help drum up awareness and create funding for them,” Amy Nichols said. “It is a near and dear charity to our hearts.”
Emme has previously run in the Mercedes Marathon kids run, and several of their family members will be in the BHM26.2 fun run. She will be at mile marker 23, near the end of the race.
“She thinks it will be so fun to be on the other side, to be encouraging folks,” Amy Nichols said.
Maisie House, 11, a student at Pizitz Middle School, won’t be at her own mile marker at mile 12. That’s because she’ll be running instead.
Maisie, who was diagnosed with aplastic anemia at age 4, will be running the half marathon on April 15 with her mother, Jennifer House. This will be her first run longer than a 5K.
Maisie said she is looking forward to “being able to know that I did something big like that, that not every child has a chance to do.”
The House family received their own Magic Moments wish, to have dinner with Disney princesses, and participate in fundraising and awareness events like the Nichols family.
“The organization is great,” Jennifer House said. “It really offers the family a chance to be together and escape that roller coaster of emotions when you have a sick child.”
The third Vestavia child to participate will be Philip Moss, who has neurofibromatosis. He will be honored at mile marker nine.
The BHM26.2 marathon is a 2019 Boston Marathon qualifying run, and there are options to run a half marathon, one-mile fun run or relay team version of the full marathon course. After the race, there will be a party at Railroad Park with a kids zone, refreshments and music.
To sign-up or view the course map, visit bhm262.com.