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This Peabody mom is running for Boston Children’s Hospital

"I wanted to give back to the place that literally gave us everything — a healthy child to take home."

April 4, 2022

1 minute to read

In our “Why I’m Running” series, Boston Marathon runners share what’s inspiring them to make the 26.2-mile trek from Hopkinton to Boston. If you’re running the marathon, you can share your story here.

Name: Rachael Randall
Age: 36
From: Peabody

I’m running the 2022 Boston Marathon as a member of the Boston Children’s Hospital Miles for Miracles Team.

In January 2017, our two-week-old son spiked a fever, poor feeding and increased work of breathing. We live in the North Shore and called our pediatrician in the middle of the night. She directed us to our local hospital but as an emergency room nurse in Boston, I told my husband if something was wrong, I wanted our son to be at Boston Children’s Hospital.

Upon arrival, he was met with a team of physicians, nurses, respiratory therapists and support staff who quickly intervened and saved our son’s life. He was diagnosed with Group B streptococcal meningitis with coinciding septicemia.

We lived within the walls of Boston Children’s Hospital for the next three weeks, where our newborn son would undergo three surgeries, countless IV sticks, spinal taps and procedures. At every stop, Boston Children’s Hospital staff met us with the utmost compassion, empathy and expertise. Fortunately, our son made it through this life threatening disease with minimal consequences and it is all due to the timely, expert care he received at BCH.

As his mother, I wanted to give back to the place that literally gave us everything — a healthy child to take home. My husband and I are forever grateful for the staff at BCH and have made it our lifelong commitment to raising funds for the institution that gave us a chance to be parents.

Editor’s note: This entry may have been lightly edited for clarity or grammar.