A father running across the West Coast made stop a Doernbecher Children’s Hospital Tuesday, part of a 1,700-mile effort to raise money for a non-profit he founded for his son.

Richard Nares says his Heart & Sole Run started in Seattle and will continue down the coast to San Diego, California.

He expects the run to take two months and says it will raise money for the Emilio Nares Foundation. The foundation is named after his late son, Emilio, who died of cancer when he was three years old.

According to Nares, Emilio was fascinated with runners–so before he passed, Nares says he promised Emilio he’d train to run. Now, Nares is honoring that promise with his cross-state trek, while also raising money for kids battling cancer.

Nares says proceeds will go toward buying special shirts. The shirts snap open at the shoulder and sleeve so kids with permanent chest catheter ports can get their medicine without having to undress.

He believes the shirts would have made chemotherapy less scary for his son.

“It was always difficult,” Nares said. “He’d either have to lift or remove his shirt. This shirt is a game-changer. I’m willing to run 1,700 miles and raise 250,000 dollars, so we can supply nine children’s hospitals with these shirts.”

Nares plans to stop at five other children’s hospitals along his route. Portland was his second stop.

He says he’s averaging 180 miles a week, which puts him on track to arrive in San Diego mid-August.

Fox 12 by Staff – Read article and watch video online.