Only two weeks after she was born in 2023, Victoria Hofman of Midhurst, Ont.’s daughter, Harper, became seriously ill with RSV (respiratory syncytial virus) in 2023 and had to be hospitalized. “We were taken down to SickKids by ambulance, where they saved her life,” Hofman says. “We had a one week stay there, then another week at our local hospital, once she was stable. I am forever grateful for the kindness, compassion and care they gave to our daughter. Anything I can do to create awareness about RSV and contribute to SickKids will always be at the forefront of my mission.” Hofman is participating in this year’s The Million Reasons Run to do just that.
The Million Reasons Run is a virtual fundraiser that gives you the chance to make a positive impact on the world with every run, and there are still two weeks left to sign up. Supporting 13 children’s hospitals across Canada, the fundraiser has helped advance lifesaving treatments for countless children. This May, The Million Reasons Run is back for its fifth year–and now’s your chance to join the race to save lives.
All donations go through SickKids Foundation and are then distributed to the children’s hospital foundation(s) closest to the given donor. Your donations fund lifesaving, groundbreaking research, helping to uncover new cures and less invasive treatments for children across Canada. Learn more about the kids who are impacted and participating hospitals, here.
This is Hofman’s second year running The Million Reasons Run in support of Toronto’s Hospital for Sick Children. “Every day I am reminded of the difference this event can make for kids facing health challenges,” she says. “Looking at my daughter today, almost a year and a half later, she’s full of life, so strong and so healthy–and this gives me so much hope for other children facing health challenges. I believe, as a community, we can impact the good in the world so much.”
Hofman admits that getting enough sleep and squeezing run training in among the daily chores of caring for two young children (she also has a five-year-old son, Jasper, and Harper is now almost 18 months) are challenging, but she values the activity so much that she has no trouble staying motivated: “Juggling many sleepless nights, being with Harper all day, housework, personal work–it’s a lot!” she says, “but I have been a certified personal trainer since I was 18, so my love for movement and the realization of how therapeutic it is for the mind truly helps me push through any hurdles.”
Harper was born by C-section, and Hofman also credits running with her ability to recover well: “I felt extremely weak, and I had shooting pain down my leg for nearly a year. I felt I would never be able to train the same as I did before I had her. With slow, consistent programming and training, I was able to run again, even better than before! Running is definitely my escape and natural high, to show up as the best version of myself daily.”
Hofman enjoys listening to music on her runs: “My go-to tunes would definitely have to be EDM music, pop remixes and dance–anything with a great beat that makes me want to move and push!”
Her love of running, coupled with the value she feels her participation brings to the lives of Canadian families, cement her commitment to making The Million Reasons Run a part of her life every spring.
“I have always believed in the true power community has when gathering together for the greater good, but nothing quite hit me as hard as going through such a traumatic experience with our daughter,” she says. “The community at SickKids truly opened my eyes how there are so many special, loving, kind human beings in the world. The doctors, nurses, counsellors–every single person worked so hard around the clock, caring for Harper. The community at SickKids are truly angels on earth.”
“I really hope more and more people realize how much they can do to create impact on children’s health research and care, when they take a really hard time in their life and make it their purpose to fuel good. It took such a traumatic experience, nearly losing my daughter, to feel the utmost gratitude, faith and strength to create space for other mothers to not be alone in this journey of hardship; and by talking about our experiences, we can heal together.”
The Million Reasons Run: Kendra’s story continues
“Together we can create so much positive change. If you cannot donate, sharing posts about the run, our message and goals still makes a world of difference.”
Don’t miss your chance to take the 31-day challenge and make every kilometre count this May. To learn more and sign up for The Million Reasons Run 2025, click here.
