Columbia’s Walmart Store Manager Mike Lowery started running because his wife, Melinda, was a runner. Living in Memphis at the time, it simply made sense to take part in the St. Jude marathon.
That was in 2002 with the first marathon, and he and his family have been running in it every year since.
Today while everyone in Marion County is anticipating the Christmas parade and the lighting of downtown, Lowery is once again in Memphis running for the children’s hospital.
For the last two years the Columbia Fire Department has been collecting change for St. Jude, something that gives Lowery the extra push.
“To have your hometown supporting you means so much,” Lowery said.
St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital was opened in 1962 by actor Danny Thomas. St. Jude is the patron saint of hopeless causes. It was Thomas’ dream to build a children’s hospital where children of all races, creeds, religions or incomes could come for treatment. More than 50 years later, St. Jude is a leading hospital in researching childhood diseases in the world. Children and families can stay and receive care at St. Jude at no cost; Thomas believed families had enough to worry about.
The marathon weekend is the single largest fundraising event for St. Jude. There are different lengths from the actual 26.2 miles marathon, half marathon, 10K, 5K and a children’s race. Each one takes a path through the hallways of St. Jude where children line the hallways to encourage the runners.
“Once you run through the halls there and see the children’s faces, it changes your life,” Lowery said.
Lowery averages raising about $15,000 a year. It became a passion for him and his family. One year he raised $25,000.
Then 2007 came and his family moved to Baton Rouge, La. His next door neighbors were from the country of Colombia. The neighbors’ daughter, Daniela Latil, had leukemia.
“All it takes is one child there to change your life. That is what it did for me,” he said.
Now the passion for St. Jude had a face. Through the years the Lowerys traveled with the Latils to Memphis for her treatments and supporting St. Jude.
Even after moving from Baton Rouge the Lowerys have kept in touch with Latil and her family. At 15 years old, she is now cancer free.
Lowery is not the only one in the family who runs; he said it has become a family affair including his wife and sons Noah and Chase. Lowery said as time has gone by he doesn’t do the full marathon anymore but will be doing the 10K this year.
The Lowerys traveled to Memphis on Thursday; on Friday the family planned to walk the course, and the race began this morning at 7. They will be among the more than 20,000 runners taking part in the various races.
He said running is not necessarily fun and the hills are hard, but the children and the cause make it worth every step.
