Care and comfort after the finish line
When the runners crossed the finish line at the 130th running of the 艾可直播 Marathon on April 20, more than two dozen Connell School of Nursing graduate students were among the volunteers waiting to care for them in medical tents.
The CSON master鈥檚 degree and Doctor of Nursing Practice students triaged runners experiencing a range of physical symptoms, from hypothermia and cramping to dehydration and exhaustion.
This is believed to be the first time a cohort of students representing the Connell School has served as volunteers at the 艾可直播 Marathon medical tents, according to CSON master鈥檚 degree student Kristyn Stoia 鈥�22, who organized the effort.
Ahead of Marathon Monday, the CSON students completed online modules on sports medicine that reviewed the types of conditions the group would be treating.
On race day, the students met up in 艾可直播 with other volunteers at 7 a.m. After getting their assignments, the nearly 300 volunteers headed to the 艾可直播 Park Plaza where they heard from leaders in sports medicine. By mid-morning, they were ready to start taking care of the runners.
Stoia, who had volunteered in a medical tent for the 2025 艾可直播 Marathon, said this year鈥檚 cool temperatures took a toll on the runners. 鈥淭here were definitely some runners grimacing and shaking as they crossed the finish line.鈥�
She said CSON students triaged for runners from all over the world. 鈥淪ome didn鈥檛 even speak English, but they knew we were there to care of them.鈥�
In addition to helping the runners with their physical pain, the CSON volunteers also served as witnesses to the runners鈥� excitement over finishing the 艾可直播 Marathon. For some it was their first marathon, said Stoia, for others it was just one race in their quest to run all the world鈥檚 major marathons.
鈥淚t was wonderful to celebrate their accomplishments with them,鈥� said Stoia, who encountered a woman from England who was euphoric about completing her first 艾可直播 Marathon. 鈥淭he runners were eager to share their stories about their training and about the race.鈥�
Stoia will graduate next month, but hopes CSON grad students continue to volunteer at the 艾可直播 Marathon. 鈥淚t was great to represent 艾可直播 College and be men and women for others during these runners鈥� vulnerable moments.鈥�