Over 8,000 Participants Ran, Walked, Biked and Played in 2018 Event
Two and a half years ago, Kimberly Ocampo was riding a bicycle to work when the driver of a car ran a red light and hit her. The Cooper City resident broke her spine, was paralyzed from the waist down, and told by some she’d never walk again.
With the help of a therapist and a walker, Ocampo crossed the finish line at the 2018 Tour de Broward, walking on her own two feet for the first time since the accident. The accomplishment, she says, was made even sweeter because she shared it with others who helped her achieve the milestone.
“I’m around a great community with people who want to get better every day, who participate in this event to support those who can’t get on their own feet. To share this road to recovery with the community has been very special.”
Ocampo was among more than 8,000 people who recently participated in the 9th Annual ANF Group Tour de Broward at Miramar Regional Park. The event, a fundraiser which will help expand facilities and enhance programs and services for kids and families at Joe DiMaggio Children’s Hospital in Hollywood, raised $551,223. In its history, more than $3.6 million has been generated at Tour de Broward for pediatric healthcare in South Florida.
“Through their ongoing support of Tour de Broward and Joe DiMaggio Children’s Hospital, the community once again made a loud statement about the quality of care it wants for children and the importance of having a local, world-class facility providing it,” said Aurelio M. Fernandez, III, FACHE, Memorial Healthcare System President & CEO.
Sponsored by ANF Group, Tour de Broward consisted of 50 and 100K bicycle rides, a 5Ktimed run, 3K walk, and the “Power of Play Kid Zone,” a sports-themed, fun area for children 13 or younger. Among those attending were current and former patients/families, teams of fundraisers, and participants dressed in festive outfits and displaying inspirational messages.
Joe DiMaggio Children’s Hospital is the largest pediatric hospital serving Broward, Palm Beach, and northern Miami-Dade counties, with 226 licensed beds, seven operating rooms, and an entire floor dedicated to oncology. It has cared for more than 80,000 children in the past year.
Part of the Memorial Healthcare System, the children’s hospital (www.jdch.com) combines advanced technology, the expertise of some of South Florida’s most diverse, board-certified specialists, and a patient and family-centered focus to heal the body, mind, and spirit of those it touches, regardless of their ability to pay.
The nonprofit Joe DiMaggio Children’s Hospital Foundation provides philanthropic funding, in part through events like Tour de Broward, to support the children’s hospital’s mission.