Kroeger isn’t so much worried about his finish time—his main goal is to spread awareness and raise funds for smiletrain.
For Kroeger, who joined Smile Train’s Chicago team for the 2019 race, the cause is personal.
“I was born with a cleft lip, and I was lucky because it was really very minor,” he said. “I had surgery when I was less than a year old, and I actually hadn’t seen a picture of myself before it until last year.” Although Kroeger’s surgery left minimal evidence that he was born with a cleft lip, it was enough to cause him to be teased in school. “Sixth grade through high school was when I was made fun of the most,” he said. “The teasing made me realize how bad it could be if I hadn’t been able to get the surgery.”
In college, Kroeger discovered Smile Train, and began to raise money for the foundation through his fraternity. He was shocked to realize that even a relatively small amount made a big difference in the lives of children born with the defect.of cleft treatment, which can be done in as little as 45 minutes. “While it may not seem like a lot of money, if someone cannot afford it, that $250 could change their life,” he said.
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