runDisney Charity Spotlight: Make-A-Wish Central and Northern Florida

Make-A-Wish® Central & Northern Florida is the celebrated charity of the 2025 runDisney Springtime Surprise Weekend.

Hi there, my name is Liem Zbyszinski. Not only am I proud to be a Make-A-Wish Central and Northern Florida Wish recipient, but also, I am humbled to be running the runDisney Springtime Surprise 5K to raise awareness and necessary funds for an incredible mission.

I am so excited to share with you two of my passions: competitive running and giving back. Why you ask?

At nine years of age, I was diagnosed with a rare, incurable, autoimmune disease called Primary Sclerosing Cholangitis (PSC) which attacks the liver and in patients like me, causes liver failure where a liver transplant is the only option. I was blessed with a family that shared their loved one’s ultimate gift of life in 2022 right after I turned 14. I have had to overcome many health challenges in my short life, but the light at the end of my tunnel was to have my wish granted in 2023 and travel to Hawaii with my twin brother and my family. Since that trip, I have been supporting events that bring awareness and fundraising to grant other kids the same opportunity of a lifetime.

That's where Make-A-Wish comes in. Their mission is to grant life-changing wishes to children facing critical illnesses. It's about more than fulfilling a wish though. It's about providing an experience that instills hope, strength, and joy for these brave kids and their families.

Once I healed from my transplant, I was asked to join the cross-country team at my high school by a friend. At first my journey was rocky and hard. I wasn’t in shape, and I certainly wasn’t ready to run. My mom runs too, and she encouraged me to keep at it, and she and my grandmother have been to every Cross Country and Long-Distance track meet since!

My mom and I have participated in multiple runs together since I started Cross Country, and one of our goals together was to be a part of a runDisney event before I graduate high school. We are excited at the prospect of running the runDisney Springtime Surprise 5K together and as a bonus, I get to share my story at the starting line with all the excited runners.

All my fundraising efforts are to help create the wish of another child’s dream and let them have the experience, the love, the laughter, and light I was able to experience especially as they face their toughest life battles.

Whether you're a runDisney athlete, a Make-A-Wish supporter, or simply someone who believes in the power of wishes, there's a place for you in this journey to create a bit of hope and possibility. Join me as we run for the children whose lives will be forever changed by the power of a wish.