Running 4 Miracles: Delaware Marathon Honors Premature Babies

Running 4 Miracles raises money for premature babies

This Sunday, April 13, Delaware will be the tenth stop on a deeply personal and powerful journey: Running 4 Miracles, a nationwide marathon project created by Jason Conway to honor premature babies and raise money for local children’s hospitals.

The Delaware leg will support Nemours Children’s Hospital in Wilmington. While the state does not have a Children’s Miracle Network (CMN) hospital, Conway partnered with the Nemours Foundation to continue his mission: to celebrate resilient preemies and help future families facing the same uphill battles his own family once did.

A Personal Story Turned Nationwide Mission

The inspiration for Running 4 Miracles came from Jason Conway’s own experience as a father. “My son was a 25-week preemie — a pound, six ounces when he was born,” Conway shared. “Without the Children’s Miracle Network, he never would have survived.”

Conway recalls long months in the NICU, watching his son struggle with complications, supported only by the advanced equipment and resources CMN helped provide. “He was in the NICU for over four months, and it was the Children’s Miracle Network that helped us through — from the equipment that was purchased at Penn State Children’s Hospital to the emotional support for us.”

One moment that stuck with Conway was seeing the total cost of his son’s care. “We got the hospital bill and the total was well over a million dollars,” he said. “Thank God we had great insurance. Not everybody does.”

That realization sparked a commitment to give back — first through a creative home-run fundraiser in his backyard, and eventually through a much bigger effort: running 50 marathons in 50 states, each dedicated to a premature baby in that state.

Why Delaware Matters

Delaware marks the 10th state in Conway’s journey, and this run is in honor of Marcella, a preemie connected with Nemours Children’s Hospital. “We’ve been in nine other states, and Delaware is the next step,” he said. “It’s been tough to get traction in Delaware, but we’re up to $900 raised so far, and I’ll keep posting until race day.”

Conway explained that even though Delaware doesn’t have its own CMN hospital, the goal remains the same: support local children and families. “We worked with Nemours Children’s Hospital and their foundation to raise money for that,” he said.

Each race leg is paired with a personal story. Conway aims to meet or speak with each honoree’s family beforehand, putting a face and a story behind every mile. “Sometimes families don’t want to meet — and that’s okay,” he said. “But I always try, even just via Zoom, to show that I really care.”

Marcella- Running 4 Miracles Delaware

From Setbacks to Purpose

This mission hasn’t just helped others — it’s helped Conway himself. A few years ago, he was over 300 pounds and newly diagnosed with diabetes. “I was feeling pretty low,” he admitted. “So I asked myself, ‘When was I happiest in life?’ And it was always when I was doing something to support CMN and premature babies.”

Inspired by the book Iron Cowboy, Conway decided to get back into running and formed the idea of doing 50 marathons in 50 states — not in 50 days, but over time. “Life’s a marathon,” he said. “So I want to make sure I take good care of my body as I do this.”

Building Something Bigger

In addition to Running for Miracles, Conway and his family have launched a nonprofit called the Miracle Mission Discovery Project. The goal is to help others discover their own “miracle mission” — a cause they’re passionate about, outside of their job, that gives back in meaningful ways.

“I believe everybody has a miracle mission deep inside their heart,” he said. “Sometimes they just need help to find it.”

The project plans to share stories of people making a difference — from volunteers to advocates — through a book, podcast, and online community.

How to Support the Delaware Leg

So far, Conway has raised more than $900 for Delaware and hopes to continue climbing before and after race day. Donations go directly to Nemours Children’s Hospital to support their work with high-risk infants and their families.

To learn more or contribute, visit the Nemours Children’s Hospital fundraiser page or the Running for Miracles profile, where you can see past runs and meet the children honored in each state.

“This is all about paying it forward,” Conway said. “We were helped when we needed it most. Now I want to do the same — one mile, one state, and one miracle at a time.”