Teacher Runs For 'Live Like Abby' In Virtual Chicago Marathon

OAK LAWN, IL — Abby Wujcik was a happy, determined little girl who loved babies. In 2012 when she was six years old, her teacher at Kolmar Elementary School noticed the first-grader having difficulty using scissors and shared her observation with Abby’s parents. Soon after, Kevin and Kristyn Wujcik, were handed the devastating diagnosis that their daughter had high-grade astrocytoma, a form of pediatric brain cancer.

A year later after 115 chemotherapy sessions, 33 radiation treatments, 40 clinic visits and hospital stays, Abby died at age 8 with her parents holding her hands. Even at her sickest, Abby attended school more days than not and loved it.

Kathy Ogean, an Oak Lawn-Hometown Middle School teacher and avid runner will be taking part in the virtual Chicago Marathon on Saturday, Oct. 10. This is Ogean's thirteenth Chicago Marathon and this year she will be running for a cause close to Oak Lawn Hometown District 123, Live Like Abby, a partner of the John McNicholas Pediatric Brain Tumor Foundation, that endeavors to raise money for pediatric brain cancer research.

"I knew Live Like Abby was an organization close to the hearts of many in the Oak Lawn-Hometown community, given Abby's attendance at Kolmar,” Ogean said. I taught several Wujciks as well as Abby's sister Morgan and I felt that Live Like Abby would be the best way to honor Abby's memory and support the Wujcik family's efforts in ending pediatric brain cancer.”

Ogean will make her way around each Dist. 123 school starting at 7 a.m. Saturday, Oct. 10, as she runs 26.2 miles in the virtual Chicago Marathon. She's hoping to raise $2,000 dollars for the Live Like Abby Foundation to help fight pediatric cancers.

"I knew I wanted to do a 10-mile loop. I also wanted to stay closer to my house, so I could get my gels and drinks. I figured if I ran past the schools I could stash my waters and Gatorades there,” Ogean said. “By staying in the neighborhood, I knew it'd be more likely I'd see people I knew which is always a good thing. I had no idea there'd be the kind of outreach the PTSA, my colleagues and students are planning. It makes all the difference. They are my D123 family.”

Training has been underway for Ogean as she works toward the marathon date. She says her biggest motivation will be the smiling faces she sees along the route.

Ogean is the mother of a son and daughter, who both attended Kolmar school; her son is currently a student at St. Laurence High School in Burbank. She plans to make two 10-mile loops around the school district.

Readers can support Ogean’s marathon run by making an online pledge and cheer her on as she runs for Live Like Abby on Oct. 10 in the virtual Chicago Marathon.