Columbus Marathon Set Fundraising Record for Nationwide Children's Hospital in 2025

• $1.4 million-plus raised in 2025 includes $200,000 from Marathon Board
• Total raised since 2012 climbs above $15 million
• Marathon, Hospital & Nationwide extend Partnership through 2027
• Registration Launched, Mile Champions Revealed on New Year's Day

COLUMBUS, Ohio, Jan. 1, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- The 14-year partnership between the Columbus Marathon, Nationwide Children's Hospital and Nationwide will continue for at least two more years thanks to an extension of the relationship launched in 2012 that has resulted in more than $15 million in support for the Hospital.

Of this total, millions of dollars have come through fundraising efforts by athletes taking part in the 26.2-mile and 13.1-mile races along with corporate donations. Additionally, the Columbus Marathon Board of Trustees has donated $1.7 million from race proceeds, including a $200,000 donation resulting from the October 2025 race. When the partnership was launched in 2012 the Board set a goal of donating at least $100,000 per year.

"No single entity or supporter makes this Partnership successful – it is a collective effort involving thousands of people and organizations," said Eric Motter, Chairman of the Columbus Marathon Board of Trustees. "However, the foresight and support of Nationwide from the start and over the years has been key to the results that support Nationwide Children's Hospital, one of our community's greatest assets."

Since the partnership began in 2012 it has been extended several times, and the new agreement adds two more years to the relationship.

"Nationwide is proud to further our commitment to this impactful community collaboration," said Chad Jester, Nationwide's Vice President of Corporate Citizenship and President of the Nationwide Foundation. "The race continues to raise much needed funds for the hospital so they can continue their work of providing world class care to every child who needs it, regardless of the family's ability to pay. We're immensely thankful for all the support given over the years and look forward to seeing how this partnership can make a difference in the years to come."

"Nationwide Children's is proud to continue our longstanding partnership with Nationwide and the Columbus Marathon. Supporting the health and well–being of children and families is central to who we are, and the generosity of the Columbus Marathon community continues to inspire us. Every dollar raised directly supports the patients and families who rely on Nationwide Children's, and we are deeply grateful for the athletes, sponsors, volunteers, and partners who make this possible year after year," said Steve Testa, President, Nationwide Children's Hospital Foundation.

Additionally, today the Columbus Marathon kicked off registration for the October 2026 event and also introduced a number of its "Marathon Mile Champions" – patients from Nationwide Children's Hospital who are honored along the 26.2-mile race route.*

"We call it 'America's Most Meaningful Race,' and when our athletes see those kids out on the course Race Day they understand and support the significance behind the name," said Darris Blackford, Race Director. "Given that we have sold out our Marathon & ½ Marathon fields for the past three years and registration today is already strong, we foresee great things for 2026."

*2026 Marathon Mile Champions (first round; the stories can be read here):

Braylee, 14, Malignant Mixed Germ Cell Ovarian Tumor, Pataskala, OH
Don, 7, Spastic Quad Cerebral Palsy and Hereditary Spastic Paraplegia Type 4, Zanesville, OH
Finn, 9, Gene Deletion, Adrenal Insufficiency and Hypothyroidism, Springfield, OH
Kaden, 9, SC Sickle Cell, Cystic Fibrosis, and Pancreatic Insufficiency, Columbus, OH
Kenadee, 10, Wilm's Tumor, Vincent, OH
Luca, 8, Sensorineural Hearing Loss, Canal Winchester, OH
Maddie, 9, Spina Bifida, Hydrocephalus, VACTERL, and Hearing Loss, Munroe Falls, OH
Marinn, 19, Complete ACL Ruptures x3, Marion, OH
Natalie, 8, Cerebral Palsy, Stage 4 Kidney Disease, and Hearing Loss, Columbus, OH
Noah, 13, Congenital Heart Disease, Columbus, OH
Nora, 10, Agenesis of the Corpus Callosum, Colpocephaly, and Microcephaly, Hilliard, OH
Parker, 11, Craniopharyngioma, Pataskala, OH
Parker, 15, Chronic Pancreatitis, Mayfield, OH
Quentin, 9, Burkitt Leukemia, Blacklick, OH
Savannah Jo, 12, Prematurity, Bluffton, OH
Winnie, 11, Spinal Muscular Atrophy (SMA) Type II, Morgantown, WV
Zoe, 7, Pediatric Feeding Disorder, Kettering, OH

About Nationwide Children's Hospital Columbus Marathon & ½ Marathon:
The 46^th Columbus Marathon will be held Sunday, October 18; this year marks the 20^th edition of the ½ Marathon. For more information, visit www.columbusmarathon.com.

About Nationwide Children's Hospital
Named to the Top 10 Honor Roll on U.S. News & World Report's 2025-26 list of "Best Children's Hospitals," Nationwide Children's Hospital is one of America's largest not-for-profit free-standing pediatric health care systems providing unique expertise in pediatric population health, behavioral health, genomics and health equity as the next frontiers in pediatric medicine, leading to best outcomes for the health of the whole child. Integrated clinical and research programs, as well as prioritizing quality and safety, are part of what allows Nationwide Children's to advance its unique model of care. Nationwide Children's has a staff of more than 17,000 that provides state-of-the-art wellness, preventive and rehabilitative care and diagnostic treatment during more than 1.9 million patient visits annually. As home to the Department of Pediatrics of The Ohio State University College of Medicine, Nationwide Children's physicians train the next generation of pediatricians and pediatric specialists. The Abigail Wexner Research Institute at Nationwide Children's Hospital is one of the Top 10 National Institutes of Health-funded free-standing pediatric research facilities. More information is available at NationwideChildrens.org.

For more information contact:
Sarah Irvin, Irvin PR, 614.296.4057

SOURCE Columbus Marathon