Push Your Limits. Fight ALS.
Hi :) I’m glad you’re here! If you’ve made it this far, you know by now that I’m running the New York City Marathon this fall - a dream! - for a cause that is decisively *not* a dream, but one that I’m incredibly grateful to have been given the opportunity to be a part of now.
Do you remember the Ice Bucket Challenge viral sensation in 2014? It was a fun way to raise money - and cool off in the summer heat. For most folks, it was probably their only interaction with the ALS community and I assumed it would be mine, too. Fast forward 7 years and I could no longer say that.
In 2021, my dad was diagnosed with ALS. We were JUST out of the peak of the pandemic and looking forward to reuniting as a family that summer after a year and a half away. The news hit like a brick, but the thing about a progressive disease is, it’s hard to comprehend at first. The initial symptoms seem pretty insignificant, not really affecting one’s ability to live life, but then slowly, more and more abilities are taken and the simple, everyday tasks we all take for granted - picking things up, eating, walking, bathing - get taken away.
Over the past three years, my parents have seen their lives change dramatically. My dad has had to learn to rely on my mom for everything, and my mom is fulfilling the “in sickness….” part of her vows in every sense you can think of, all with very little support from a medical community that doesn’t know how to do much (right now) for a disease without a treatment or cure.
Living 700+ miles away, it’s been incredibly challenging for me to know how to help. Enter: Team ALS and the NYC marathon. Team ALS raises funds that will: support individuals and families affected by ALS by funding resources and services to the local ALS community, help find new treatments, and move us closer to a world without the disease.
Not only do the funds raised here directly support people and families affected by the disease my dad has, but running this marathon is my way of honoring my biggest cheerleader in the city that has meant so much to us through the years. My dad, never a runner himself, was so happy to be at each of my first five marathons to support me - tracking me down throughout the course so I saw a familiar face in the crowd cheering me on at different mile markers (always very proud of how many miles HE racked up that day). And New York City will forever be my favorite place because of the love of the sports teams there that my dad passed on to me, and the incredible memories I have at ballgames there.
I never in a million years would have imagined our lives would look like this in 2024, but this is our reality now and the very LEAST I can do is run 26.2 (and raise a dollar or a few, too) :)
Whether it be $5, $10, or $100, I thank you for anything you’re able to contribute to this cause. It means the world to me, my family, and so many others living with this not-so-rare disease.
P.S Please feel free to send this page to any friend or family member who might be interested in donating, too.
![TeamRaiser Achievement Badge](../images/friendraiser_uploads/1413_1143_lg_1103.519050353.orig.png)
![TeamRaiser Achievement Badge](../images/friendraiser_uploads/1416_1146_lg_1000.202992860.orig.png)
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