Speedway is Fueling Miracles for Kids in Hampton Roads, July 29 – 30th!

It’s time to fuel miracles and save lives for kids treated at Children’s Hospital of The King’s Daughters (CHKD).

Thanks to the generosity of Speedway customers this weekend, donations collected Friday, July 29 through Sunday, July 31st will make a difference in our community by helping to improve medical treatments, equipment and facilities. These funds allow CHKD to address the most challenging health issues of today but also to prevent and prepare for those to come.

Through these donations, our hospital is able to provide treatments and healing that our patients desperately need today so that they can fulfill their potential tomorrow.

Patients like Ayana who was just a baby when she made her first visit to Children’s Cancer and Blood Disorders Center at CHKD to be treated for sickle cell disease, a genetic blood disorder. The treatments she receives at CHKD help prevent infection, strokes, and anemia, and also reduce the number of pain crises that are common with the disease. When she does have pain, there are medications that provide relief, and Coco, a tiny, soft bear she received at CHKD on one of her earliest visits.

Now 15 years old, Ayana is an honor student, violinist, dancer and advocate for sickle cell awareness. The comfort she received from her bear Coco was the inspiration behind a project Ayana began in 2019: Making pillows called Ayana’s Hope Cells for sickle cell patients to hug during pain episodes.

“I want sickle cell patients to have hope and not think about being sick,” says Ayana, who lives in Suffolk. “Because I really believe there’s going to be a cure soon for people with all types of sickle cell disease.”

Speedway’s partnership with Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals began in 1991 and has since raised more than $133 million for the children’s charity through various fundraising activities. Locally, Speedway locations throughout Hampton Roads, the Eastern Shore and northeastern North Carolina have raised over $250,000 for CHKD since 2015. The majority of funds come from year-long canister collection and pin pad prompts at the point of sale, company-wide campaign weekends for their local CMN hospital, in addition to other localized campaigns.

Thanks to Speedway customers for helping Change Kids’ Health and Change the Future for kids treated at CHKD.