Former Asthma Patient Runs 100th Half-Marathon for National Jewish Health

Fifty years after receiving life-saving asthma-care at National Jewish Health, Kevin Buron used his passion for running to raise funds for the hospital.

“By the time I was 2, I had been hospitalized eight times, and the doctors that were treating me in the Chicago area were not able to get my asthma under control,” said Buron, who now lives in St. Paul, Minnesota. “The doctors told my parents they needed another solution, as they were out of options.”

National Jewish Health was the solution. “My grandmother and I took a train to Denver, and National Jewish Health became my home for the next 18 months,” said Buron. “National Jewish Health never charged my family for any of the services I received.”

Hospital faculty and staff provided outstanding care and treatment, educated Kevin’s parents about asthma, and ultimately helped him gain control of his condition. He said his parents credited National Jewish Health  with  saving his life.

While traveling through Denver recently, Kevin and his wife, Michelle, visited the  nation’s leading respiratory hospital. They were impressed by what they saw, and Kevin became inspired to give back by raising funds for the hospital’s Pediatric Sleep Center.

Children in the Pediatric Sleep Center are evaluated for sleep disorders, such as sleep apnea and restless sleep, as well as for problems falling or staying asleep. Pediatric sleep experts determine the cause of each child’s sleep disorder and develop personalized recommendations to improve their quality of life. Patients have access to the latest pediatric clinical trials and most effective treatments to help them get the sleep they desperately need.

In May, Buron, an avid runner, collected and matched contributions in honor of his participation in his 100th half-marathon, which he ran in Lake Minnetonka, Minnesota. “I wanted to say thank you for what National Jewish Health did for my family and me so many years ago,” Buron said. “Achieving this milestone would not have been possible without the incredible care I received as a child.”