Jillian

Help Me Run NYC for CPARF!

Hi Friends!  Thank you so much for taking the time to read my page.  

I’m thrilled to share that I’ve been selected to run the 2025 TCS New York City Marathon as part of Cerebral Palsy Alliance’s Athletes for Accessibility team to move cerebral palsy research and disability innovation forward.  

As a lifelong runner, I’ve always known that I wanted to challenge myself to run a marathon, and now I get to do that for a personal cause.  My older brother, Sepp, was born with Cerebral palsy and is one of the most important people in my life.  Like me, Sepp played sports throughout our childhood, but unlike other kids, Sepp stayed on the sideline for games and instead of playing, he acted as a personal hype man/football analyst.  However, on Sepp's high school senior night, he was given the ball and was able to run 80 yards for a touchdown while players on both teams cheered and ran alongside him.  This night changed our lives forever and my family watched in awe as Sepp's story made national news and even ended up on ESPN.  

https://www.espn.com.au/video/clip?id=21300405 

My brother would not have been able to run 80 yards for that touchdown without the years and years of physical therapy, surgery, support teams, and resources that went into his core developmental years of his childhood.  Some of my earliest memories are happily tagging along to his physical therapy every day after school.  As an adult now, I have made it my goal to raise awareness and funds to help more people like my incredible brother.  

Cerebral palsy (CP) is the most common lifelong physical disability in the world, affecting 18 million people of all ages, with 33 babies diagnosed with CP every day in the US.  Even though it’s so common, CP doesn’t get the attention or funding it deserves. 

I’m running to raise $5,000 to help fund groundbreaking medical research and accelerate the development of emerging assistive technology. 

By donating to my page, you’re supporting:

• Studies focused on unlocking movement for people with CP — from holding their head up for the first time to taking steps in ways they never have before.  
• Technology that makes it easier for people with CP to grasp and grip items they need.
• Research into the chronic pain that affects 14.5 million people with CP.
• Innovation that makes it possible for people with CP to access and control their personal technology with voice commands, facial expressions, body gestures, and more.

Thank you all SO much for your support!  This cause means a lot to me, and your support would mean the world. I sincerely appreciate your help to reach my fundraising goal to run NYC this November! Together, we can move CP research forward and change lives. I could not reach this incredible goal without you.  Stay tuned for marathon updates :)