Arlington Father and Sons Run for Franciscan Hospital for Children

Arlington’s Howard Rudzinsky and his sons, Sam and Abe Rudzinsky, participated in the 5th Annual New Balance Heart Break Hill 5K on Saturday, June 9, at Boston College to raise money for Franciscan Hospital for Children.

Since birth, 2-year-old Abe has been cared for at the hospital in Brighton. Abe, who weighed 1.5 pounds at birth and was diagnosed with chronic lung disease and respiratory distress syndrome, was discharged from in-patient care earlier this year and now attends the hospital’s Medical Daycare Program.

Each year, more than 15,000 children receive care at the hospital. Many patients, like Abe, are born weighing less than 2 pounds and need around the clock care while under mechanical ventilation to help them breathe, according to the hospital.

Abe arrived on the hospital’s 3rd Floor Ward after five months in the Neonatal ICU. Four months later, he was finally able to go home. He weighed 50 percent more than when he got to the hospital, and he was on the lowest flow of oxygen he had been on since birth. Two months later, Abe was off oxygen completely, and six months after that, he began going to the Medical Daycare Program.

More than 700 runners took part in the event, which brought in more than $80,000 for the hospital. Donations can still be made at www.franciscanhospital.org/5k.