Newswatch 16’s Valeria Quiñones participated in the annual 5Kate Run at Ne Aug Park to honor Katie Schoener and raise awareness for those suffering from mental illness.
SCRANTON, Pa. — On August 3, 2016, Katie Marie Schoner lost her battle with bipolar disorder to suicide.
Still, nine years later, her family and friends are still fulfilling what they believe was her last wish by performing 5Kate every year. Nicole Lynch is a board member of the Katy Foundation and one of Katy’s closest friends.
“When she passed away, she left behind a statement that said, ‘Let’s start a movement.’ So we decided to honor her memory by shining a light on mental illness, raising awareness, and getting people to talk more about it.” I started a movement,” Lynch said.
Schoener and Lynch met while attending Penn State University. Mr Lynch said one in five people suffer from a mental illness, many of them secretly. She hopes 5Kate’s run, which has become a full-fledged event providing mental health resources, will help combat the negative stigma surrounding people suffering from mental health issues.
Sarah Schoener, Katie’s sister-in-law, said they decided to hold the run in October because Katie’s birthday falls on Halloween.
Sarah says, “We’re going to create this awareness for everyone, of course we’re going to bring Katie back in a heartbeat, but if we have to, we need to create this awareness for everyone.” I’m so grateful for the community.”
Many runners, like lead runner Tim Nowakowski, come not just to run, but for a good cause.
“I enjoy running. I look forward to running 5Ks and 10Ks, but we all know someone who has a mental illness. Just spreading the word, gathering information and talking to people can help. “We’re all affected, whether we know it or not,” Nowakowski says.
Fellow runner Alec Weinberger says, “Running is fun, and the fact that you can run for a good cause makes it even better.”
All proceeds, including the $25 registration fee and basket raffle, will be donated to the local National Alliance on Mental Health (NAMI) chapter and Katie’s Place Clubhouse, a resource center for people struggling with mental illness. It opened this summer on Penn Avenue in Scranton.
