The outdoor track at Skyline High School Friday was busy with students, staff and community members walking for a good cause.
For the second year, the Health & Medicine Bio-Medical Sciences Magnet held its annual SkyWell Walk for Wellness to promote walking for fitness and raise awareness about a rare condition called Prune Belly Syndrome.
In just two hours, more than 300 participants raised $2000.
The proceeds from this event will support future medical treatment for Quinn, the 6-year-old son of Skyline teacher Kathy MacKercher, who was born with rare congenital conditions: Prune Belly Syndrome and Megacystic Microcolon Intestinal Hypoperstalsis Syndrome. Quinn is the oldest of three known survivors in the world with both conditions, and he will undergo more surgeries in the years to come.
“Quinn’s journey is filled with memorable loving moments and long hospitalizations. We are so touched and very grateful for this support,” said MacKercher, who participated in the walk with Quinn and her entire family.
This year, the walkathon also provided an opportunity to celebrate the many successes that SkyWell has achieved this school year, including a $750 award from Ford Driving School for SkyWell’s DRIVE Well campaign, and a SET SEG Foundation Excellence for Education grant to expand SkyWell’s wellness campaigns to the community.
“Our SkyWell leaders worked hard this year, and this event was a visible way to support an issue important to the Skyline community,” said Jeff Bradley, lead teacher of the Health and Medicine magnet program. “Many of our students will continue their education to prepare for public health and medical careers, and participating in SkyWell provides a great learning opportunity about important medical and public health issues.”
SkyWell is a student-run wellness initiative at Ann Arbor Skyline High School focusing on 8 dimensions of wellness, including physical, social, emotional and intellectual wellness for 1485 students.
Since 2014, SkyWell has created dozens of school-wide campaigns to promote wellness as a life skill. SkyWell is one component of the Skyline Health and Medicine BioMedical Science Magnet program, creating community outreach and leadership opportunities focused on public health.
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