Take Part Foundation to Host 2026 Donut Run Benefiting Rare Pediatric Disease Research

Family-friendly 5K returns to The Hub STL with a $100,000 check for St. Louis Children’s Hospital

ST. LOUIS, MO, UNITED STATES, September 10, 2026 /EINPresswire.com/ — The Take Part Foundation (Take Part), a St. Louis-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit that identifies and funds medical research for rare pediatric conditions, will host their annual Donut Run on Saturday, October 3 at 7:30 a.m. at The Hub STL in Chesterfield, Mo. The run/walk raises awareness and funds to support research on rare pediatric diseases and helps families cover genetic testing costs. The event will feature coffee, donuts, and other treats from local vendors, including music, face painting, balloons, fitness challenges, and family-friendly activities. At 10:30 a.m., Take Part Foundation will present a check to WashU Medicine physicians from the Genetics and Genomic Medicine Program at St. Louis Children’s Hospital, completing its $100,000 contribution for 2026. This contribution will help cover genetic testing for families who are denied coverage by insurance, as well as those who are underinsured or facing other financial barriers.

“The Donut Run is a heartfelt reminder of how the rare disease community in St. Louis shows up in full for these kids,” said Maria Granados, co-founder of the Take Part Foundation. “Every runner and sponsor at the table contributes to testing and answers for a family who’s been waiting. That’s what keeps us doing this year after year.”

Monarch Fire Department will send off runners with a flag drop, and this year’s event brings back the “donut runners” (participants who race while carrying full boxes of donuts), plus a tunnel formed by Lindenwood University’s national champion cheerleading squad. Evolve Auto Boutique will offer complimentary wheelchair washes and detailing on-site for rare disease warriors. A live DJ will play music throughout the event alongside fun fitness challenges. Other vendors include the Critical Care Transport Team at St. Louis Children’s Hospital, Rosemary Woods Design, Wild and Raw Juice, Welded Horn, Different at School, Katie Kough, Jbloom, The Knock Podcast, Freedom Fitness of O’Fallon, 9 Round – St. Peters, and Orange Theory Fitness of Chesterfield. This year’s Donut Run is co-presented by Katie Kough, author and illustrator, and The Knock Podcast, with additional support from Posted Social, Cornerstone Caregiving, Opus Design Build, the Ford Family, Chloe Carnahan Gerrity of Signature Realty, Laura Michel-Lang Insurance, The Travel Gals – Kristin Zessinger, Bates Fitness Co., and Welded Horn.

Since founding Take Part in 2021, Matt and Maria Granados have grown the foundation into a movement of thousands of supporters, raising over $750,000 to fund rare disease research and help families access expensive genetic testing, often the first step toward a diagnosis. As the Granados family likes to put it, rare disease is more common than most people think, and anyone can take part in changing outcomes for the kids living with one.

Donut Run registration remains open through the end of September. To learn more about how to “take part” in the lives of children with rare pediatric diseases, please visit https://take-part.org/. To register or sponsor this year’s Donut Run, visit https://e.givesmart.com/events/OYj/.

About the Take Part Foundation
The Take Part Foundation is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit dedicated to helping children with rare and undiagnosed diseases thrive. Too often, the research needed to advance life-altering therapies for children with rare conditions lacks adequate funding. Take Part funds research, provides resources for rare and undiagnosed families to better tell their stories, and assists with access to genetic testing needed for a diagnosis. The nonprofit was founded by Matt and Maria Granados, parents of Natalie, who suffers from a rare genetic disorder, PYROXD1. The foundation empowers families of children with rare diseases, allowing anyone to “take part” in fighting for what’s possible. Learn more at take-part.org.

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