This summer, while most of us were trying to escape the heat, Lou Fragoso was planning to run straight into it—with heart, grit, and a mission. The President and CEO of Manning Family Children’s Hospital is trading in his dress shoes for trail runners as he prepares to take on the Leadville Trail 100 Run on August 16, one of the most grueling ultramarathons in the country. But he won’t be running alone.
Fragoso’s journey—100 miles. 100 kids. 1 mission.—is more than an athletic feat; It’s a moving tribute to the patients at Manning Family Children’s, Louisiana’s only freestanding comprehensive children’s hospital. Each mile of his 100-mile trek through the Rocky Mountains will be dedicated to one of the hospital’s young warriors.
“Every day, our patients at Manning Family Children’s face their own mountains—battling cancer, sickle cell disease, undergoing bone marrow transplants, healing from trauma, learning to walk again after devastating injuries, and recovering from complex heart surgery,” says Fragoso. “Our kids fight every day. But their races don’t come with medals or finish lines. They come with hospital beds, IV poles, therapy… and an unshakable will to keep going. They fight for every step, and I will fight for every step in Leadville to honor their courage and resilience.”
Fragoso’s goal is to raise over $100,000 and inspire others to join the movement by donating, sharing stories, and supporting the hospital’s life-changing mission. Supporters can match a mile by contributing or raising $1,000 for a mile, creating a ripple effect of awareness, empathy, and action.
For 70 years, Manning Family Children’s has led with compassion and courage, delivering expert care regardless of a family’s ability to pay. Fragoso’s footsteps across Leadville will echo that commitment and remind us all that endurance is measured not in distance, but in heart.
To follow Lou’s journey or support the mission, visit 100miles100kids.org. Let’s help turn every mile into a message of hope!