Dr. Christina Steger has become a household name in the Wilson County community. When asking around town for the best pediatrician, her name was the first you would hear for many years. In fact, many of her patients were second generation. After “growing up with her,” many locals chose her to see their own children, as well. 

But if you ask someone who knows her personally, the praise goes far beyond her abilities as a doctor. Cindy Herring, Steger’s co-worker and friend, had this to say, “As a nurse, I saw her in action at the hospital…the love and compassion she showed for ALL of her patients. But beyond that, she took time to coach her daughter’s soccer team, sew costumes for school plays, and even sacrificed her vacation time to go on medical mission trips, all while running a private practice.”

Steger just completed her own battle with colon cancer, but has not let the illness slow her down. Though she retired from her practice in 2014, she continues to minister to those who are sick through cooking, running errands, and sending cards. “Even now, just a few months after ending her own cancer treatments, she spends much of her time making dinners and caring for her friends and family battling their own illnesses. She is a true servant!” says Herring.

Steger’s compassion for children extends beyond the doctor’s office, as well. As one of the founding members of CASA (Court Appointed Special Advocates for children) in Lebanon, she spent many years advocating for at risk children. Chris and her husband, Randy, even chose to become foster parents and continue to have a relationship with their loving foster daughter, Brandy, and her three children. 

The volunteer spirit is contagious in the Steger home. Daniel Steger, Christina’s oldest son, has volunteered at the Sherry’s Run event for many years. Lydia, her daughter, helped lead a team in her mother’s honor for the past several years. They have all spent hundreds of hours volunteering for the Nashville-based non-profit that her husband, Randy, founded 25 years ago: Healing Hands International. 

Children’s Medical group, the pediatric practice where Steger worked for more than 20 years in Hermitage, Tennessee, has sponsored the Sherry’s Run event in her honor for the past several years. When asked why they wanted to honor her, Jennifer Knott (colleague and friend) said this about Steger, “She is a woman full of faith and strength, love and compassion. She will leave a profound impact on anyone’s life she touches for many many years to come.”

“Just sharing a meal with Dr. Steger is so humbling. She never complains or makes excuses. She just encourages and keeps finding ways to serve the people around her. She truly embodies the spirit of what Sherry’s Run is all about,” says Alisa Van Dyke, Marketing Director for Sherry’s Run. Back in March, Steger graciously shared her story of her own battle with colon cancer in an effort to assist Sherry’s Run with raising awareness about the importance of early detection. 

Dr. Steger will be honored at the thirteenth annual Sherry’s Run 5K Walk/Run on Saturday, September 10, 2016 at 8:00 a.m. Register today!