Race for Christina

Race information

Hello! My name is Catherine Logan, and I hope you can join my family as we celebrate Mother’s Day on Sunday May 12, 2019 at beautiful Tyler State Park. I am truly grateful and excited that we will be celebrating our 7th Anniversary this year. Last year we raised over $18,000 for the Friedreich’s Ataxia Research Alliance (FARA), which benefits those diagnosed with Friedrich’s Ataxia (FA). I am confident that this year we will surpass that goal and reach $20,000!

My sister was diagnosed with Friedreich’s Ataxia when she was 21 years old. She said she felt so alone, hated her body, and didn’t understand why she was diagnosed with this life-shortening disease. My sister is my best friend in the whole world, and when I saw her depressed like this, it made me incredibly sad. I knew I had to do something for her, but I didn’t know what.

While she was away at college in Providence, RI, I found through the FARA network a local Rhode Island family that was hosting their own 5K race. On a whim, I signed us up, started a fundraising page, and booked my ticket to visit her. I thought it might be good for her to be around other families who were affected by FA. I didn’t know what we would see, how the event would be, or if we would even be welcomed. The DiIorio family could not have been any nicer, and they embraced us as if we were one of their own. That Race for Matt & Grace was the first time I saw my sister smile in a very long time. I knew I had to have a race of our own, where Christina could be surrounded by her own family and friends and feel that sense of comfort and support.

Here we are, seven years later, and our Mother’s Day Race is the day I look forward to every year. It’s the day I see my sister smile from ear to ear, say hello to old friends, and get introduced to new friends. It’s the day our whole family and friends come together and celebrate not only their mothers, but this firecracker of a woman, Christina. I am fiercely proud of how far our race has come, and I am excited to see how much our attendance list grows and grows every year.

I encourage you to sign up, create a team, and set your own fundraising goals! Every little bit helps to bring awareness and funds toward FARA.

I look forward to seeing you all on Sunday May 12. Remember, together we can Cure FA!