Birthday Girl!

Running Update:

Now that the NYC Half is done, I’ve decided to hold off on running the local Cheshire Half in April to give my knee a rest.  I want it to be strong enough to start training later this spring for the Berlin Marathon in September.

Speaking of the Berlin Marathon, our CTF NF Endurance Team for Berlin had its first Zoom meeting last month and I presented the “Mission Moment”—what inspires us to run.  You can watch my segment here:

NF Update:

NF was recently featured in People Magazine!  Michele Holbrook lives with a form of NF called Schwannomatosis.  Despite multiple surgeries and daily pain, she is a tireless advocate and fundraiser for the NF community.  Check out the article here!

Meanwhile, NF Northeast is gearing up for NF Awareness Month in May with the Hartford Steps2Cure NF Walk.  Northeast Medical Group (my division of Yale New Haven Health) featured Jane and me in its quarterly newsletter to help drum up support for the event.

The text reads:

On April 27, 2024, the Steps2Cure NF Walk, to benefit NF Northeast, will take place at Dunkin’ Park Concourse in Hartford, beginning with a 9 am registration, followed by a 10 am start time. Neurofibromatosis (NF) is a genetic condition of the nervous system that causes tumors to form on the nerves, in or on the body, at any time. There is currently no cure for NF, and it has very few treatments. Planned by NF Northeast, an organization whose mission is to bring hope to those affected by NF and allied disorders, the quarter-mile walk kicks-off NF Awareness Month and raises funds to support its programs: patient advocacy, research, and patient education. This event is personally special for NEMG’s Kristina Rath, MD, whose daughter lives with the effects of NF daily. “My 16-year-old daughter Jane has neurofibromatosis, and each year, this event helps us get one step closer to finding a cure,” said Dr. Rath. “Because of NF, Jane has been in three separate clinical trials, has had two major surgeries, and has had over three dozen MRIs in her short lifetime. We are part of NF Northeast, an organization with a mission to bring hope to those affected by NF through research and community.” For more information about participating in the walk, or donating, click here. If you are interested in volunteering for the event, contact Sara-Jane Griffin at 781-272-9936 or sjgriffin@nfnortheast.org.

Jane Update:

Can you believe this amazing young woman turned 17 this month?  My heart <3  The world is her oyster!  We can’t wait to see what wonderful things are in store for her.

Jane at her birthday do