By Tim Hadac
Managing Editor
Southwest Chicago Post
All are invited to participate in the 5th Annual Love Smiles Fox Trot 5K, set for Saturday, June 20 in Bedford Park, specifically 6652 S. 78th Avenue.
This family-friendly event helps support the mission of the non-profit Love Smiles organization, a group that brings comfort, literacy and smiles to children battling cancer.
What to Expect:
This family-friendly event helps support the mission of the non-profit Love Smiles organization, a group that brings comfort, literacy and smiles to children battling cancer.
What to Expect:
• Timed 5K Run/Walk
• Family-friendly atmosphere
• Race shirts and medals
• Community vendors & supporters
• A meaningful cause that directly impacts local families
To register, visit https://runsignup.com/Race/IL/BedfordPark/LoveSmilesFoxTrot5K.
Can’t attend but still want to help? Donations can be made here:
https://givebutter.com/5thAnnualFoxTrot5K
Background
Love Smiles was founded by Bedford Park native Jenna Kmitch, who gave birth to her daughter, Sydney in February 2020.
From the Love Smiles website: "I thought my world had changed- but I had no idea. At two months we discovered a small lump sticking out of the side of her neck. She was sent to an endocrinologist and an ENT. All of her tests were showing as normal. After multiple scans the ENT said the excess tissue forming this lump should be taken out as it sat where her carotid artery split.
"So surgery it was and the surgery went great- yet just six days later I sat in our hospital room holding that same beautiful little girl listening to the doctor as he used the words malignant, tumor and cancer to talk about Sydney, my baby.
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| Sydney as an infant battling cancer. |
I told him he was wrong. My baby couldn’t have cancer. She was only four months old. The pediatric oncologist came and we talked a lot about tests and treatments and hope. We were lucky. Her cancer, Neuroblastoma, was well researched they knew how to treat it.
Over the next few weeks and months I had no idea the ride we were in for. Sydney went through multiple tests every couple of weeks. After just a couple rounds, the cancer wasn’t getting smaller, it was slowly growing. She went through another complete round of tests, scans and bloodwork. It was determined that the next step was chemotherapy. My eight month old would go through eight rounds of chemo and she handled all of them better than I could have ever imagined.
"As her mom I went through the rollercoaster of emotions everyone told me I’d feel. I felt angry that this happened. I felt sad that moments felt robbed. Guilty because my baby would be OK, they knew how to treat it, who was I to be angry or sad?
"From all of those feelings and tears a beautiful thing was made, an organization named Love Smiles that brings authors and pediatric cancer families together. I wanted to give other parents the peaceful moments I had found. Fall into a story with your child, snuggle together, listen and forget everything else. Forget the tests, endless appointments and procedures. Have a normal moment with your child listening to a story.
"Out of all the stories we’ve read and listened to, Sydney’s is by far my favorite. It has introduced us to so many amazing people we wouldn’t know and taught us so many things about the incredible kids who battle cancer. My favorite part of her story though is just four words, Sydney is in remission."
Fast forward to 2026. Sydney just graduated kindergarten and is a healthy, active, cheerful little girl.
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| Sydney and Jenna today. |
Love Smiles continues its mission to serve children fighting cancer, and their families.
The group works mostly through hospitals with pediatric oncology units. In the Chicago area, that means Lurie, Loyola, UIC, Northwestern, Christ and others.
Jenna was a reading specialist in elementary schools for 15 years. "I’m a book person," she likes to say.
“A friend asked, 'When do you and Sydney feel the best?' And I said, 'You know what? At night, when I read her a story, because all the other noise goes away. I’m not thinking about the hospital bag I have to pack for the next day. I’m not thinking about what her schedule’s like for the next week. I’m just focused on this one thing with her.'”
“And we got really lucky because Sydney was going to be OK. But I met a lot of other parents who I knew their kids weren’t going to be OK. And I said I can’t fix this for anybody...but maybe I can give them that five or ten minutes of peace every day."
Love Smiles conducts charitable drives around the year, collecting books, coloring books, crayons, pencils. Those supplies are shipped to pediatric oncology units across the nation. The goal is to bring comfort and hope to pediatric cancer patients and their families.
Will you please help?
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