Runner Doing 100 Miles On A Treadmill For Charity
CHICAGO (CBS) -- An ultramarathon runner from Chicago has begun a 24-hour treadmill run to raise money for an organization that provides cleft palate surgeries for kids in developing countries.
WBBM Newsradio's Mike Krauser reports David Coligado visited South Africa last year. He said he was touched by kids living with cleft palates.
"They're ostracized within the community, and it was just something that I said, 'I've got to do something,'" Coligado said.
He planned a 24-hour, 100-mile run on a treadmill set up at the Lululemon store at 930 N. Rush St. to raise $25,000 to provide 100 cleft palate surgeries through the organization Smile Train.
"100 miles, 100 smiles," he said.
Coligado said a 45-minute surgery to repair a cleft palate costs just $250, "but this dramatically changes a child's life. In a lot of these countries, these kids don't even have a chance at a full life. They live at home, they don't have any friends."
After finishing his 100 miles on the treadmill Saturday morning, he plans another short run to the lake for a dip to cool off.
You can read more about his effort and donate by clicking here.