Annie Marie Ryan was born August 10 1984, the youngest of our six children. For twelve and a half wonderful years we were blessed with her presence. She was a feisty child, full of life and love, with a smile that could light up a room! We lost Annie to a brain tumor in January of 1997. As a family, the Ryan’s came to the realization that the only way they could really heal was to try to help other children with this dreaded disease.

Kickoff For Kids is proud to help host the Annual Annie Ryan Run, to benefit the Midwest Children’s Brain Tumor Center at Lutheran General Hospital in Park Ridge. We do it for children facing a devastating diagnosis and in memory of a little girl who left us too soon but whose spirit and smile will always be with us.

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