Highlighting the 2023 Midwest Walk-Run-N-Roll

Last month, we were excited to kick off the summer season with a trip to Missouri for the 2023 Midwest Walk-Run-N-Roll!

Taking place near Kansas City, this event was extra special for first-time hosts Angie Keck and Megan Willis-Beikman. After several months of preparing for the big day, over 90 people, including family, friends, and other community members, showed up to support, celebrate, and raise awareness.

Walk-Run-N-Roll
Walk-Run-N-Roll
Walk-Run-N-Roll

“What were perfect strangers at 9am were family by 9:30. That is such an amazing feeling that triggered such an emotional response that I wasn’t prepared for. I finally got to meet people face to face that I have been talking to for more than a year. I saw my daughter surrounded by love and support. Not just from the people who know her and know her story and her struggle, but by people who know and can relate what she is going through. People with the same shared experience. An experience I will never know and never be able to fully understand. But these people, these amazing humans, this fierce community, they were there for her in a way that I never will be able to. They showed up, they hugged her, and they said, “Me too.”

We see and say all the time “stronger together” but in full transparency, I don’t think I really understood what that meant until Sunday. And it was the most beautiful thing I have ever seen.”

-Megan Willis-Beikman, volunteer host

SRNA’s Lydia Dubose and Skye Corken greeted attendees as they arrived, distributing event shirts and sharing other materials. Skye kicked off the event by welcoming attendees and giving a big thanks to Angie and Megan for all the hard work they put into the event. Scott Keck, Angie’s husband, then spoke a few words about how they are connected to SRNA and the importance of events like Walk-Run-N-Rolls and SRNA’s Quality of Life Family Camp. Later, Lydia shared more about the history of our organization and the impact of raising awareness for the rare neuroimmune disorders community.

Skye, Angie, Megan, and Lydia at the Walk-Run-N-Roll
Walk-Run-N-Roll
Walk-Run-N-Roll

“It was so much fun to bring an SRNA Walk-Run-N-Roll to the Kansas City area for the first time! The community came out in full force to support families with rare neuroimmune disorders, and it was incredible to see new friendships being formed and more awareness being raised. I’m so grateful for Angie and Megan, and their families, for their passion, energy, and all of the hard work they put into making this Walk-Run-N-Roll a success.”

-Lydia Dubose, SRNA Community Engagement Manager

The event was fun for the whole family. Complete with a bubble machine as people crossed the finish line, music, pancakes, and live-action star wars characters. By the end, the event raised $5,833 to support research, educational programs, and support programs at SRNA. Thank you to our generous sponsors for helping make this event possible. National sponsors include: Alexion Pharmaceuticals and Horizon Therapeutics. Local sponsors include: Kansas City University, Northstar Realty, Lilac Center, Sister’s Christmas Project, Industrial Wrecking & Salvage, Midway Auto Parts, and Strasser Hardware.

Group photo from the 2023 Midwest Walk-Run-N-Roll

Thank you again to everyone who came out to join us! You can still check out the Midwest Walk-Run-N-Roll event page here. We’d also like to invite you to our other upcoming Walk-Run-N-Roll (WRNR) events this year:

2023 Northeast WRNR – Saturday, Sept 23 in Weymouth, MA
2023 Southeast WRNR – Sunday, Oct 15 in Charlotte, NC
2023 Southwest WRNR – Saturday, Oct 28 in Houston, TX registration coming soon
2023 West Coast WRNR – November in Los Angeles, CA registration coming soon