I’m thrilled to have been chosen to run the NYC Marathon to represent the Celiac Disease Foundation (and, let’s keep it real....I’m also terrified!) My 13 year old daughter, Mya was diagnosed last September with Celiac Disease. The last year has been a tough one for her, with multiple hospital stays and 3 different new medical diagnoses, including Celiac Disease. Celiac Disease had never even been on our radar prior to her getting so sick last summer. Thank goodness her doctors knew enough to include it in her battery of tests, despite not having traditional GI symptoms. We’ve learned that Celiac Disease can present in many different ways & we want to help spread awareness and early detection of the disease. Since Mya has been on a strict gluten free diet, her body has healed in ways we could not have predicted. It’s taken a lot of work on her part, but we’re so lucky she’s been given the tools to continue to keep moving forward and take control of her health.
As a mom, it’s incredibly difficult to see your kids struggle, and not be able to fix whatever is wrong. One of the things I can do, however, is run. And these 26.2 miles are dedicated to my girl, who reminds me everyday that WE CAN ALL DO HARD THINGS.