Running for Rare Wraps Up 2016 Marathon Season with New York City Finish
On November 6th, 2016, 50,000 runners hit the pavement as part of the TCS New York City Marathon. Amongst these runners were nine members from the Running for Rare charity team participating to raise awareness for rare disease and support NORD’s Undiagnosed Patient Assistance Program.
All Running for Rare marathoners are matched with a community partner in the rare or undiagnosed disease community. This year, Andrew Scholte, pictured below, ran the TCS New York City Marathon on behalf of Gina Szajnuk’s family. Read more about Gina’s story here.
Pictured L to R: Paul Mazur and Andrew Scholte
The runner-patient partnership is a source of inspiration for everyone involved in the team. The marathon runners and members with rare and undiagnosed diseases both know what it’s like to need a little extra support and encouragement to continue moving forward at times. Over the years, many team members have written about these meaningful partnerships on their blog.
Running for Rare has historically participated in races across New England and is looking forward to expanding to races outside the northeast. In September, the team announced that they had been named an official charity partner of the 2017 Skechers Performance Los Angeles Marathon. The group is excited to participate in their first west coast race and continue to spread awareness of rare disease!