In 2016, I got the worst news from my best friend. She was diagnosed with oral Cancer and we both felt at a loss at that moment. She decided to receive treatment however she had to move to Chicago to receive treatment. Treatment was expensive for her and her family and although we were able to help fundraise money for her and her husband livelihood's the living situation and medical expenses kept adding up. Luckily they were able to find a foundation like Esperanza that helped with the living situation and some of the health services. Unfortunately she lost the battle and we lost her in 2017.

It is organizations like Esperanza that provide patients and their families with hope to receive the medical attention they need. I am fundraising and running to help those who can not have the medical resources they need. Help me fundraise to run my first world major with my running bestie.

In 2004, residents of the low-income and primarily Latino neighborhood of Little Village joined with administrators from nearby Saint Anthony Hospital to address the critical lack of accessible health services on the Southwest Side. Realizing that thousands of residents lacked quality medical services and relied on the emergency department for routine care, they decided to open a primary care clinic on South California Avenue and name it Esperanza the Spanish word for hope.

Today, with seven sites and a team of more than 400 dedicated staff, Esperanza is one of the most respected Federally Qualified Health Centers in the nation, delivering accessible, bilingual care to more than 50,000 patients every year. From adult medicine, women's health and pediatrics to behavioral health services and wellness programs, Esperanza meets the needs of its community with innovation and a sterling commitment to quality. Esperanza today is recognized as a National Quality Leader by the Health Resource