Dartmouth-Hitchcock

Jodi Picoult

The Children's Hospital at Dartmouth-Hitchcock (CHaD) has announced that bestselling author and Hanover native, Jodi Picoult, will lead the 5th Annual CHaD Hero Half Marathon & Relay 5K Walk on August 29, 2010 at the Dartmouth College Green. Dressed as Wonder Woman, Picoult will participate in the Guinness World Record attempt at 9:00 a.m. for the most number of people dressed as superheroes, in one place at one time. At 10:00 a.m., she will walk with participants along a 3 mile course around Occum Pond and through the town of Hanover.

"In addition to writing, another passion of mine is walking," explained Picoult. "I wrote five issues of the Wonder Women comic books so I know what makes a hero. I'm happy to channel my own superpowers to support the sick kids of northern New England who are served by CHaD."

The CHaD Hero Half Marathon & Relay honors the "hero" in CHaD patients, families and medical staff. This year's event will kick off with Cam's Course, a 1 mile family fun run around the Dartmouth College campus. The main event follows when runners and walkers are released onto three courses. The half marathon and relay takes place along a scenic and challenging USATF certified, interstate course that winds through New Hampshire and Vermont. The new Rip-cord 5K run gives runners who are unable to finish 13.1 miles, the option to turn around at the 4.4K mark.

All proceeds benefit CHaD. Last year's event attracted over 1,300 runners and raised over $225K. Since its inception in 2006, CHaD Hero Half Marathon & Relay total donations have surpassed $700K. For more information, visit chadhalf.org. For more information on Jodi Picoult's new release titled Sing You Home, go to jodipicoult.com.

About CHaD

As New Hampshire's only children's hospital, The Children's Hospital at Dartmouth-Hitchcock (CHaD) is committed to providing outstanding compassionate care for children and families. Their physician expertise provides primary, specialty, and tertiary care to the children of New Hampshire, Vermont, and beyond, as northern New England's children's hospital. For patients living in southern and coastal New Hampshire, CHaD offers a comprehensive range of pediatric medical and surgical outpatient specialty services at Dartmouth-Hitchcock Manchester and Nashua and at Wentworth-Douglas Hospital, Dover.