Preemie Preschooler To Lead Go the Distance Walk

From Maria Fareri Children’s Hospital

MAHOPAC, NY — Six-year-old Joy Degl of Mahopac was recently appointed as one of three child ambassadors for the 14th Annual Go the Distance Walk and Family Fun Day, the largest annual fundraising event for Maria Fareri Children’s Hospital.

Joy’s story is a triumph over complex medical challenges. She was born at 23 weeks gestation and weighed a mere one pound, four ounces. She spent 121 days in the Regional Neonatal Intensive Care Unit at Maria Fareri Children’s Hospital, which cares for the region’s tiniest and sickest newborns. Joy spent the first four months of her life tethered to breathing and feeding tubes.

Today Joy is a happy, healthy preschool student.

As one of the three child ambassadors for the Go the Distance Walk and Family Fun Day, Joy will help represent the more than 30,000 seriously ill and injured children cared for each year by Maria Fareri Children’s Hospital services.

The event benefits the hospital and celebrates the health and fortitude of its remarkable patients. It draws
thousands of former patients, families, staff, and supportive community members from around the region.

Following a casual one-mile walk around the hospital’s campus – the event’s signature processional led by the ambassadors – participants will enjoy a morning filled with fun activities for the whole family.

Register and learn more about the Go the Distance Walk and Family Fun Day, including how participants can support advanced pediatric healthcare in the region, by visiting the webpage.

Stay up-to-date on event news and share event-day experiences via social media by using the hashtag #GoTheDistance.

Maria Fareri Children’s Hospital is a member of the Westchester Medical Center Health Network and the children’s hospital for the Hudson Valley.