FRANKLIN, Tenn. — What began with one family’s journey has grown into a mission aimed at helping more children access the care, equipment and opportunities they need to move, play and thrive.

Live Like Jack is a Middle Tennessee-based charity inspired by Jack, a child born with bilateral clubfoot and arthrogryposis who has required ongoing treatment and travel for specialized care. Through their experience, Jack’s family saw firsthand how costly and complicated that care can become for families navigating limb differences, musculoskeletal conditions and disabilities.

Now, Live Like Jack is working to help close that gap.

The organization supports children and families by helping provide access to medical care, travel to specialized treatment centers, adaptive equipment and opportunities to participate in sports and active living. Its mission is rooted in a simple but powerful belief: every child deserves the chance to run, jump, play and live a full life, regardless of ability.

At the heart of the charity is a message of inclusion. Rather than treating differences as limitations, Live Like Jack encourages families and communities to celebrate them.

The organization’s work also comes to life through its annual Live Like Jack 5K and Kids Run, a family-friendly fundraiser that brings the community together for a night of movement, fun and purpose. The 2026 event is scheduled for Saturday, August 8, in Franklin, with a 1-mile kids run followed by a 5K run and walk. Participants can expect a post-race celebration featuring food, snow cones, balloon twisting and a dance party.

Funds raised through the event help support families facing expenses connected to treatment, travel, braces, wheelchairs and other adaptive equipment. Previous beneficiaries have included organizations such as Miracle Flights, Children’s Flight of Hope and Able Youth, according to the event’s fundraising information.

For families who may feel overwhelmed by a diagnosis or the financial realities of ongoing care, Live Like Jack offers something beyond practical support: community.

Its message is clear — in a world that often pressures people to fit a certain definition of “normal,” there is power in embracing what makes each child unique.

To learn more about Live Like Jack, donate or get involved with the upcoming 5K, visit the organization’s website and Instagram page.

Author: Tala Shatara