I am running to help everyone with ALS, but especially my cousin, who is battling the disease and inspires me every day. He is a wonderful friend, father, husband, and amazing force of good in the universe and it is an honor to run for him.

I also work in my lab and with New York Genome Center (NYGC) to help ALS research and better understand the fundamental processes that can lead to ALS, so some day we can beat it. I still wear the orange ALS Greater United wrist band from the fall NYC marathon, as a daily reminder of the gratefulness I have to be alive and to focus on new ways to help.