KETTERING — Zoe Rupp, a 7-year-old from Kettering, is getting ready to cheer on runners in the upcoming Nationwide Children’s Hospital Columbus Marathon.
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At every mile of the marathon, Mile Champions will be cheering on the runners. These are children who have been treated at Nationwide Children’s Hospital.
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The Mile Champions are meant to act as an inspiration to runners as they run over 26 miles throughout Columbus.
Each kid has their own story of perseverance while being treated for various health conditions at Nationwide Children’s Hospital.
Zoe’s mom, Cara Rupp, explained that Zoe was born with a genetic deletion.
“So her feeding has never been very good,” her mom explained. “She doesn’t chew properly, and so chewing foods have always been hard for her. We didn’t know about most of that until we were at Nationwide.”
Zoe and her mom spent time at the Ronald McDonald House and away from her dad and brother over the summer of 2025 while Zoe was being treated at Nationwide.
Before being treated at Nationwide Children’s, Zoe was relying on a feeding tube to get nutrients, but that changed by the end of her stay.
“They were able to get it so that she could get all of her nutrients in by mouth instead of through her tube, and so that was just so great for us and the confidence it gave her to be able to eat by mouth,” Cara Rupp said.
It’s why Zoe earned the spot as one of 24 Marathon Mile Champions at the marathon this year. She’s in charge of creating a theme for her float, and she chose the Katy Perry song “Roar.”
Her mom said the song is about courage and bravery.
“I love that!” Zoe told News Center 7.
The Nationwide Children’s Hospital Columbus Marathon takes place on Sunday, Oct. 18.
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