I'm ready to run.

An old adage says lightning never strikes the same place twice.  Unfortunately, it's not true.  Indeed, lightning can, and will strike the same place twice.

A number of years ago, my father was diagnosed with Parkinson's.  As a family, we were not aware of any history of Parkinson's in our ancestral history, and as it turns out, my dad did not have any of the genetic markers they have identified as being associated with Parkinson's.  Since my dad's diagnosis, I have had the honor of raising money for the Parkinson's Foundation over the last several years through the support of family, friends, acquaintances, and yes, even strangers.

Once again, this year brings renewed meaning because my mother was also recently diagnosed with Parkinson's. Lightning can strike the same place twice, and sometimes, it can strike in a cruel way. 

Once again, I'm running this year's Chicago Marathon for the 4th consecutive year to raise funds and awareness on behalf of the Parkinson's Champions.  The Parkinson's Foundation makes life better for people living with Parkinson's disease by improving care and advancing research toward a cure.  Studies show that 2.5 hours of weekly exercise along with medication, can significantly improve quality of life for people living with Parkinson's. 

We run and will continue to run for people with Parkinson's because this disease not a sprint, it’s a marathon.  Every dollar counts, thank you for your support!

With love and gratitude,

James