The NCANA Run for Joy 5K
- Date Sat 25th October 2025
- Time 9:00AM EST
- Location Winston Salem, North Carolina
- Price $28.45 - $33.74
- Races 2 races
- Distances 5km
Event summary
Join us for the NCANA Run for Joy 5K on Saturday, October 25, 2025, in Winston-Salem, Forsyth, as we come together to support mental health advocacy and wellness for health care trainees. This uplifting event not only promotes physical fitness but also shines a light on the critical issues surrounding mental health in the demanding field of health care. Participants will run or walk the 5K course, raising awareness and funds that directly support initiatives aimed at enhancing mental wellness and providing essential services for those in need.
The Run for Joy is inspired by the vibrant spirit of Katelyn Joy Beardsley, a passionate advocate for mental health who touched the lives of many. By joining this event, you will honor her legacy while contributing to a cause that seeks to combat the stigma surrounding mental illness within health care. Whether you're a seasoned runner or a casual walker, your participation will help make a difference in the lives of health care trainees. Come be part of this joyous movement and help pave the way for a brighter, more supportive future!
The Run for Joy is inspired by the vibrant spirit of Katelyn Joy Beardsley, a passionate advocate for mental health who touched the lives of many. By joining this event, you will honor her legacy while contributing to a cause that seeks to combat the stigma surrounding mental illness within health care. Whether you're a seasoned runner or a casual walker, your participation will help make a difference in the lives of health care trainees. Come be part of this joyous movement and help pave the way for a brighter, more supportive future!
Organiser's Description
The NCANA Run for Joy is a 5K race that supports mental health advocacy and wellness for health care trainees. Mental health issues and suicide are becoming increasingly common among health care trainees and providers. Training programs are usually very rigorous, caring for patients is stressful, and those who care for others often feel that they cant or shouldnt admit that they need care themselves. Unfortunately, there is often a stigma associated with mental illness, and trainees may feel that admitting that they struggle could damage their careers.
Run for Joy seeks to combat this stigma and support the mental wellness of heath care trainees. Proceeds from the race help finance initiatives that enhance mental wellness and provide support for those needing mental health services. Donations and race proceeds are managed by Run for Joy, Inc, a charitable organization established for this purpose. Run for Joy was started after the tragic death of Katelyn Joy Beardsley. Katelyn was a vibrant young woman who brought immense joy to everyone who knew her. She had a strong love for God and for people. She was unapologetically authentic and could sit with people in their deepest sadness or laugh with them in their highest joys. Katelyn actively counseled and encouraged many others in the midst of their depression, and we know lives were preserved because of her. Katelyn also loved running, which was her favorite way to combat her own depression and anxiety. In the summer of 2018, Katelyn enrolled in the Nurse Anesthesia program at Wake Forest University School of Medicine to fulfill her life-long dream of becoming a CRNA. Unfortunately, that dream was never realized. On June 11, 2020, two months prior to graduation, Katelyn died by suicide. We will never know all the things that led to this tragic end to such a beautiful life. Because Katelyn was high functioning and upbeat, no one saw this coming. Data show that many others are struggling like Katelyn. Run for Joy seeks to bring help and awareness to this critical situation.
Issue: Mental health advocacy and wellness for health care trainees
Run for Joy seeks to combat this stigma and support the mental wellness of heath care trainees. Proceeds from the race help finance initiatives that enhance mental wellness and provide support for those needing mental health services. Donations and race proceeds are managed by Run for Joy, Inc, a charitable organization established for this purpose. Run for Joy was started after the tragic death of Katelyn Joy Beardsley. Katelyn was a vibrant young woman who brought immense joy to everyone who knew her. She had a strong love for God and for people. She was unapologetically authentic and could sit with people in their deepest sadness or laugh with them in their highest joys. Katelyn actively counseled and encouraged many others in the midst of their depression, and we know lives were preserved because of her. Katelyn also loved running, which was her favorite way to combat her own depression and anxiety. In the summer of 2018, Katelyn enrolled in the Nurse Anesthesia program at Wake Forest University School of Medicine to fulfill her life-long dream of becoming a CRNA. Unfortunately, that dream was never realized. On June 11, 2020, two months prior to graduation, Katelyn died by suicide. We will never know all the things that led to this tragic end to such a beautiful life. Because Katelyn was high functioning and upbeat, no one saw this coming. Data show that many others are struggling like Katelyn. Run for Joy seeks to bring help and awareness to this critical situation.
Issue: Mental health advocacy and wellness for health care trainees
Races
-
5k
Incl. $3.74 Fee & T-Shirt
Sat 25th October 2025 (9:00AM EDT)
$33.74
OPENS SOON -
Virtual 5K
Incl. $3.45 Fee & T-Shirt
$28.45
OPENS SOON
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