“There are 25 members and the overall goal is to raise $7,000,” McFarland explained. “All money raised for this event will go into T.J.’s Children’s Organ Transplant Association (COTA) account.”

Several members of “Team T.J.” are alumni from the Clarion University Women’s Cross Country team, including McFarland. Other members include McFarland’s co-workers from Clarion Hospital , her North Clarion High School running alumni as well as family and friends.

These women usually run this race together annually, however, this year they have decided to put an extra special meaning to their run; to run for T.J.

T.J. arrived at the Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh in June 2007, with flu-like symptoms but within fifteen minutes of receiving fluids his heart stopped and his parents watched anxiously as doctors performed 20 minutes of unsuccessful CPR.

The Wilson ’s only choice was to put T.J. on a heart-lung bypass machine. Weeks later doctors discovered T.J. suffered from Viral Myocarditis, a virus that attacks and damages the heart and his only option for survival was a heart transplant.

In the meantime he was placed on a trial pediatric Berlin Heart to sustain him until a heart became available. At 8 p.m. July 16, 2007 , T.J. underwent a life-saving and successful heart transplant surgery.

T.J. has since been re-hospitalized for post-transplant complications. On Jan. 2, he was diagnosed with PTLD, which is a result of the Epstein Barr Virus that allows tumors to grow in his lymph tissues.

McFarland said, “I do not have any control over the things that are happening to T.J. The only way that I can help this family is to raise money.”

McFarland has helped with a few other fund raisers including a pizza sale in fall 2007 that raised $5,000 and in early February she was one of the top organizers of a spaghetti dinner and live auction in Leeper, that raised $17,555 for T.J. And, now she hopes to add at least $7,000 more.

“This money allows his mother to comfortably stay by her son’s side day in and day out without having to worry,” McFarland added. “I have taken great honor in knowing that I am helping the best way that I can; the rest of T.J.’s story is solely in God’s hands. And I will continue to take comfort in that.”

If you are interested in making a donation to support McFarland’s run send a check made payable to C.O.T.A. with T.J. Wilson in the memo line by March 29, 2008 . Mail checks to Roxanne McFarland, P.O. Box 43 , Tylersburg, 16361.