Under the banner of kindness and care, registration has opened for the 33rd charity “Chestnut Run,” which will традиційно take place on Kyiv Day — this year on May 31, 2026 — with the support of the Department of Youth and Sports of the Kyiv City State Administration.

The main goal — to support the Center for Pediatric Cardiology and Cardiac Surgery

Little hearts once again need our support. This year’s charitable fundraising campaign is traditionally aimed at purchasing critically important medical equipment and supplies for the Center for Pediatric Cardiology and Cardiac Surgery of the Ministry of Health of Ukraine — the long-standing beneficiary of the Run since 2002.

Last year, thanks to the participants, we helped restore the work of the pediatric cardiology unit, which suffered significant damage as a result of a russian missile strike on July 8, 2024. Today, doctors are already working in the restored operating rooms, continuing their daily fight for patients’ lives.

On May 30, 2025, on the eve of International Children’s Day, a press conference was held at the Center for Pediatric Cardiology and Cardiac Surgery of the Ministry of Health of Ukraine, where the results of the 32nd “Chestnut Run” were announced.

Thanks to every participant and team who made a charitable contribution, the “Chestnut Run” Foundation presented a symbolic check for 2,000,000 hryvnias to the Center for Pediatric Cardiology and Cardiac Surgery of the Ministry of Health of Ukraine.

“All Runs held since 1993 have been dedicated to helping children. Thanks to the tremendous work of the Chestnut Run team, this event has become much more than just a campaign or a fundraising initiative for children. It is a celebration of kindness that has become a tradition for 32 years. Today, it is an integral part of the city of Kyiv and of Ukraine as a whole. Despite COVID and the full-scale war, the team continues to work and remains committed to this wonderful event, which now also receives international support,” said Iryna Kuznietsova, initiator and organizer of the “Chestnut Run.”

On May 25, 2025, the 32nd “Chestnut Run” was held on the 1,543rd Kyiv Day. The event, traditionally supported by the Department of Youth and Sports of the Kyiv City State Administration, brought together thousands of participants committed to supporting the future of the youngest patients at the Center for Pediatric Cardiology and Cardiac Surgery of the Ministry of Health of Ukraine.

More than 8 000 people took part in the 32nd Chestnut Run. Due to the full-scale war and the constant threat of shelling, the project was held online for the fourth time: without a joint starting line, but with a single shared goal — to help children with congenital heart defects. Participants chose their own route and start time, completing the symbolic 5-kilometer distance in a location convenient and safe for them.

On May 7, 2025, the Center for Pediatric Cardiology and Cardiac Surgery of the Ministry of Health of Ukraine welcomed special guests — well-known Ukrainian actors, influencers, and TV hosts. The visit took place as part of the 32nd charitable sports event “Chestnut Run,” which has supported this medical institution for 23 consecutive years. The purpose of the meeting was to draw attention to the current needs of the Center after the missile strike on July 8, 2024, on “Okhmatdyt,” the issues of congenital heart defects in children, and to support young patients who require urgent cardiac surgery.