Yoga Reaches Out hopes to bring more than a thousand yogis together at Gillette
Reina Mercado, 15, said she found strength during her second cancer treatment, in the summer of 2021, through her yoga practice. Her nurse Kristen Guilmette introduced her to yoga and led Mercado and her mother, Jen Hansford, through flows a few times a week in her room at Boston Children’s Hospital.
“There were certain days that I could get out of bed, but I didn’t want to, and I would just lay in bed and try and sleep most of the time,” said Mercado. “On days when I had yoga, I would actually look forward to it.”
Guilmette altered the flows depending on where Mercado had pain and what she could do that specific day. “It boosted not only my mentality, but also helped with a bunch of physical things,” said Mercado, “like after a bone marrow biopsy, I would always do yoga with Kristen, and my back would be way less sore.”
Passionate yogis, like Mercado, are now encouraged to sign up to participate in Boston Children’s Hospital Trust’s annual Yoga Reaches Out Yogathon on Sunday at Gillette Stadium. Participants ages 16 and up can join by themselves or as a team with a $25 registration fee per person. Each person is required to raise at least $300 by May 11, and new participants can register until April 20 at noon. The funds raised will help the Boston Children’s Hospital Every Child Fund, which goes toward cancer research, support for parents, and care for children dealing with complex illnesses, according to their website.
Sarah Gardner started Yoga Reaches Out and organized the first yogathon in September 2010 after her son Will had spent time in the hospital’s neonatal intensive care unit.
“She founded the event as a way to give back to the hospital that had saved her son’s life,” said Rachel Hunter, manager of special events for the Boston Children’s. “She started it really grassroots, reaching out to her community she was involved with and grew it and grew it and grew it.”
The hospital took over the event’s organization during this growth process, at her request, while Gardner still works on planning and outreach, said Hunter.
Hunter said registration for the event usually opens in January, and many participants start raising money in the four months leading up to the yogathon. She said participating yoga studios — including Innerglow Yoga Cape Cod in Mashpee, Down Under School of Yoga in Brookline, and Ritual Yoga Studio in Weymouth — also host benefit classes that are donation-based to raise money for Yoga Reaches Out.
“The big day is meant to be a culmination of all of those efforts and a celebration of all of those teams and participants coming together with one intention in mind,” said Hunter, “and that’s to help the hospital.”
The yogathon will have two different yoga sessions in the morning around 10 a.m., led by six New England yoga instructors, and in the afternoon around 1:30 p.m., led by yoga and wellness expert Faith Hunter. The sessions are relaxed, and participants are encouraged to practice at their own pace, according to a press release.
“We [instruct] all of the teachers that they need to be focused on an all levels flow,” said Rachel Hunter, “meaning a beginner is going to understand it, and an expert can also take it to the next level if they want to.”
She said there will be one main instructor on the main stage near the stadium’s end zone and four instructors placed throughout the field.
“And [there will] also [be] plenty of modifications for if you have mobility issues, if you’re pregnant, any type of considerations,” added Rachel Hunter. An ASL interpreter will also sign during the sessions.
Between yoga practices, participants will have the opportunity to shop at local artisans’ tables, grab lunch at the Optum Field Lounge, and take photos. Rivers Between, an indie-folk duo from Boston, will also be performing in the morning.
This year’s goal is to host 1,400 participants and raise $825,000. Mercado is not old enough to participate, but she said she plans to attend the event with Hansford, cheering on participants on the field.
“When I was in the hospital, the last thing I expected was to end up enjoying yoga,” said Mercado. “I think yoga is just something that’s very adaptable and very calming.”