Community members across south Mississippi are invited to participate in the Celebrate Sela: Race to Raise CDH Awareness 5K Run/Walk and Half Mile Fun Run on April 18 at Friendship Park. The event is dedicated to raising awareness and support for families affected by congenital diaphragmatic hernia, or CDH.
Celebrate Sela honors the memory of Sela Marie Anderson, the daughter of David and Laura Anderson, and puts a spotlight on CDH, a rare birth defect that affects the development of the diaphragm while in the womb. Sela tragically died in 2014 from CDH.
In 2013, the Andersons were pregnant with Sela when they learned she had CDH, a rare condition that occurs when a baby’s diaphragm fails to close as it should, according to the Mayo Clinic. During Laura’s 18-week ultrasound, it looked like there was a black hole in her chest, which was actually Sela’s stomach.
While the doctors did alert the Andersons that something could be wrong, they downplayed it not to scare the expecting parents.
They were referred to Children’s of Mississippi Hospital (formerly Batson Children’s Hospital), where the CDH diagnosis was officially confirmed.
Sela was born in March 2014 without a lung and lived for 23 days at the hospital before succumbing to the disease.
The first Celebrate Sela 5K was held in March 2015 and has allowed the Andersons to raise and donate more than $164,000.
There is a NICU room named in honor of Celebrate Sela at Children’s. One of the purchases made by the charity was an ECMO heater, which David said the hospital needed and was close to their hearts as Sela was on an ECMO machine.
“We’ve worked hard to give back to the hospital and summon our community to raise awareness of her condition in her memory,” Laura said.
Organizers say the goal is to combine community fellowship with advocacy and fundraising for families impacted by the condition. The Celebrate Sela 5K has grown each year and has developed many fun quirks. Many participants wear costumes or funny socks, and people line the path to cheer on the participants. While there is a lot of participation locally, the event draws many people from other states and even outside the country as well, expanding Sela’s impact.
“We just continue to celebrate her and her impact even though it was short. We want to do good for the community and for the hospital that took care of her in her memory,” Laura said.
Participants of any age or fitness level are encouraged to attend the event, whether it be to run, walk or even simply show support to the participants. The event will begin with registration in the morning, followed by the 5K race and the half-mile fun run designed especially for children and families. In addition to the races, those who attend can expect a family-friendly atmosphere with activities, refreshments and opportunities to learn more about CDH.
Early registration and community involvement are encouraged, as every participant, donation and volunteer makes a difference. Participants can register at runsignup.com with registration ending April 15 at midnight. To guarantee a shirt on race day, participants must register prior to April 1. Race day registration will be available beginning at 7 a.m. prior to the 5K beginning at 8 a.m.
As the event approaches, organizers hope to see continued growth in both participation and awareness, allowing Sela’s legacy to live on and continue bringing hope
and light to families across the region.
