Driven by hope: Wolfson Children’s Challenge supports advancement of pediatric care

More than 1,000 runners and walkers turned out on Saturday, Jan. 31, 2026, to take part in the 17th annual Wolfson Children's Challenge, which included a 5K race featuring a scenic course along the St. Johns River and traversing not one but two of Jacksonville’s seven distinctive bridges, as well as a 1-mile fun run. The event raised more than $200,000 in donations.

The 3.1-mile event, presented by Subaru of Jacksonville, kicked off at the Winston Family YMCA on Riverside Avenue, proceeded across both the Fuller Warren and Acosta bridges and finished back at the Winston Y staging grounds, which featured a Kids Village with family-friendly activities and entertainment, including Jaxson de Ville, the ROAR cheerleaders and Wolfson Children’s official mascot, “Wolfie.”

Proceeds from the annual event benefit Wolfson Children’s Rehabilitation, which offers comprehensive therapy for kids with sensory, movement, feeding and communication difficulties, helping kids better enjoy their daily activities.

“The Wolfson Children’s Challenge is so much more than a race,” said Allegra C. Jaros, MBA, president of Wolfson Children’s Hospital. “It is a powerful expression of our community’s commitment to children. We are deeply grateful to the runners, walkers, donors, sponsors and volunteers who make this event possible. Every mile you complete and every dollar you give helps restore hope, improve function and expand life-changing programs for our pediatric rehab patients, giving them the opportunity to reach their full potential.”

The overall top 5K finishers were:

1. Adrik Resendez
2. Carter Schmidt
3. Hannes Witte
4. Will Terry
5. Stella Krueger

The race also featured a refined team element, with teams running together, rather than in separate legs, and everyone’s individual time was considered when calculating the team's overall time.

The top three teams were:

1. MB Runners
2. The PEM Pacers
3. Team Noa
4. Batson-Cook Construction
5. WRT

Patients front and center
Each year, the one-day event also honors 55 current and former patients of all ages, known as the “Wolfson 55,” who represent the wide range of services Wolfson Children’s offers to children of Northeast Florida, South Georgia and beyond.

Many of this year’s Wolfson 55 honorees and their family members were invited to the Kids Village stage where they were individually introduced and applauded for their warrior-like inner strength and resilience. Video profiles of each honoree were also displayed on a large monitor throughout the three-hour event.

Since its inception in 2010, the Wolfson Children’s Challenge, which was inspired by the care of a newborn who underwent surgery at the pediatric hospital hours after birth, has raised more than $4 million in total gifts.