Thousands of families are expected to pack Lincoln Financial Field in South Philadelphia this Saturday, Oct. 24, for the 25th annual CHOP Buddy Walk and Family Fun Day, a milestone year for an event that has grown from a small local gathering into one of the region's biggest celebrations of the Down syndrome community.
The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia event marks its 25th year, according to 6abc Philadelphia, and organizers say the walk has grown significantly since it began. The event's own registration page confirms the milestone, inviting supporters to join the 25th annual CHOP Buddy Walk on Oct. 24 at the South Philadelphia stadium.
For one local family, the day carries deep personal meaning. Evan Rothholz, a 16-year-old who was born with Down syndrome, has attended the Buddy Walk annually since he was just 11 months old, per 6abc. He told the station the event lets him spend time with friends and see mascots, a simple joy that's kept him coming back year after year.
A Team That Outgrew Itself
Evan's family team, known as Team Evan, has expanded from just three participants in its earliest years to more than 100 people today, 6abc reports. His parents, Mitch and Julie Rothholz, have relied on care through CHOP's Trisomy 21 Program and say they support the program's mission as both patients and advocates. Julie Rothholz told the station her family receives top-quality care and that Evan participates in research that will help future generations.
The Trisomy 21 Program at CHOP provides evaluations, treatment and specialized care for children with an extra chromosome, according to 6abc, and the program's own materials describe comprehensive care for patients with Down syndrome from birth through adulthood, per the event's Making a Difference page. More than 2,000 individuals with Down syndrome currently receive care through the program, the same page notes.
Looking Ahead to Adulthood
Mitch Rothholz raised concerns about healthcare issues facing Evan and his friends as they approach adulthood, 6abc reports, and said fundraising from the walk helps expand access to services. He described one of the event's goals as expanding resources and access for participants as they age. Those concerns echo broader findings on the subject: a scoping review published on pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov notes that proposed transition guidelines call for evaluating decision-making capacity as young people with Down syndrome approach age 18 and periodically throughout their lives.
Registration Details and Fundraising Numbers
Families hoping to join Saturday's walk can still register, though prices rise at the gate. Pre-registration runs through noon this Friday, Oct. 23, at $21 for teens and adults and $10 for children ages 4 to 12, with kids under 4 walking free, according to the event's official event page. Day-of registration jumps to $26 for adults and $15 for children in that same age range, the page notes.
Organizers say the Buddy Walk is on pace for a record-breaking year and had raised $385,000 so far in 2026, per 6abc's report. CHOP's donor platform separately states that the walk typically draws more than 2,500 participants annually and has raised more than $5 million overall to support Down syndrome care and research, according to chop.donordrive.com. Those funds, the hospital's Making a Difference page states, have helped clinicians and researchers in the Trisomy 21 Program make breakthroughs over the years.
Exactly how those dollars are divided isn't entirely consistent across CHOP's own materials. The event's registration page states that 100% of funds raised support patients in CHOP's Trisomy 21 Program, while CHOP's main Buddy Walk site states that proceeds benefit both the Trisomy 21 Program and the National Down Syndrome Society. CHOP has not publicly reconciled the two statements.
A National Movement Born in 1995
The Buddy Walk traces back to 1995, when the National Down Syndrome Society established the program to promote acceptance and inclusion, according to ndss.org. That first year saw just 17 events across the country, the organization says, before fundraising was added to support local and national programs and services. The national program has since grown into more than 250 events worldwide, with more than 330,000 participants raising $14.2 million, per NDSS.
CHOP's own Trisomy 21 Program has undergone a similar expansion. When it launched in 2003, the clinical team saw patients just one day a month, according to CHOP's Making a Difference page; it now holds clinic six days a month. Two years ago, CHOP's 23rd Annual Buddy Walk drew more than 3,000 participants and 150 teams and raised a record-breaking $365,000, according to a CHOP news release, which also noted the event had generated $4.6 million over the preceding 22 years.
For the Rothholz family and thousands of others heading to Lincoln Financial Field this weekend, the walk remains a celebration of community, support and advocacy. As the event enters its second quarter-century, families like Evan's say the mission, pushing for better care and broader acceptance as children with Down syndrome grow into adults, is far from finished.
