I am excited to join the In My Running Shoes 2024 Philly Half Marathon team!
In My Running Shoes understands the struggles and challenges that can come with managing a chronic disease. Through physical activity, individuals can gain a sense of power and control over their disease, ultimately leading to better long-term disease management and overall well-being. In My Running Shoes strives to fill the gap between an individual's need and their health care coverage through diligent grant writing to providing financial assistance for medical devices, athletic equipment, training, and rehab to help people with chronic diseases stay active.
In 2019, I was diagnosed with Idiopathic Intracranial Hypertension. I personally experience headaches, tinnitus, neck/shoulder/back pain, and peripheral vision loss; however, running has helped me manage these symptoms and will hopefully help me prevent blindness. To my frustration, there is no known cause or cure. When I was diagnosed I temporarily experienced double vision and vision loss which made going down the stairs or crossing the street difficult. While this was happening, I remembered that I've done it a thousand times before and I didn't need to look down to get to where I was going, I just needed to put one foot in front of the other and get back up if I fell down (which happens a lot due to the lack of depth perception).
Please donate to my fundraiser for In My Running Shoes to create opportunities for people, like me, with chronic illnesses to stay active and engaged in our communities. It's empowering and a ton of fun.
See you in Philly,
Love you bye!