2015 April News
Welcome to our April Newsletter! Another month has flown by and it’s time to recap where we’ve been and talk about the amazing events coming up in May. The season is in full swing, and we are excited to be in this race against PH with you!
The month started off with the Second Annual PHenomenal Hope 5K. It was an incredible event organized by Julia Feitner and friends, bringing together 675 participants and raising over $25,000 for research! It felt like a reunion and a party all in one, and definitely check out our write up and photos from the event here.
Just a couple short weeks later, two team members took to the streets and trails in epic races. Our captain Ryanne took on the North Face 50-mile race, after overcoming several challenges leading up to the race. She epitomizes toughness, and ran 36 miles until a knee injury caused her to pull out of the race. She is already making plans for a comeback, and we know she will be back. We are inspired and amazed by Ryo’s strength, energy and kindness.
The following Monday, Monica Reisz put in a record-setting performance at the Boston Marathon. She broke her own personal marathon record that she had set 18 years ago, with a time of 3:34:19, a negative split race and re-qualifying for Boston for the 7th time. In her words:
I believe that success comes with hard work, determination, a great coach, and surrounding myself with people that lift me up and inspire me. I am so thankful that God was with me.. and that he is always beside me encouraging me and giving me strength. This year I am also fortunate to be a member of Team PHenomenal Hope… racing to support those with pulmonary hypertension. Racing takes on a whole new meaning when you are racing for a cause that is bigger than yourself. I hope that one day we will find a cure for this devastating disease.
Coming up… Painting Pittsburgh purple for World PH day in the Pittsburgh Marathon on May 3rd. Okay fans, we are so excited for this coming weekend when we literally have recruited members to our team to help us take our hometown by storm. This year you’ll see team members racing: Mandy, Cindy, Mike Finikiotis, and Eileen running the half marathon and Mike Bauer and Ryanne Palermo running the full.
You’ll also see Dustin, Patty and Team PH friend Birk McGilvrey leading out the marathon in our new Team PH colors! And alongside our team, you’ll find NEW team members all running in our colors and helping us in our race against PH! AND look for us at Mile Marker 8, where we will be manning the Water Station, cheering and yelling with a PHenomenal Army of volunteers! Among those racing and volunteering you’ll find teammates, family and friends and PHriends, patients, health care providers, researchers, and members of pharmaceutical companies, all coming out to support and help raise awareness. Indeed, our Water Station is a microcosm of the PH community, with the awesome vibe to match.
Also as May winds down, Pascale and Patty are getting ready for Calvin’s Challenge, a 12-hour bike race in Springfield, Ohio. Both are returning and looking to lay it all out there on the roads and in the wind, representing our team in this annual ultra-race. Just two weeks later look for Mandy racing the Ironman 70.3 in Chattanooga. Meanwhile our team is making final preparation for the Race Across the West in June! Stay tuned for more about RAW coming soon.
Finally May 5th is World PH Day, and we ask you to join us in raising awareness about Pulmonary Hypertension by taking the Blue Lip Kiss Challenge with PH patient Cordelia Skuldt, and 11-year-old with pulmonary hypertension. Check out her video below and join us!
It’s easy.
- Take a photo of yourself with blue lips.
- Post it on social media
- Tag it with #PHAware and #bluelipkiss
- Challenge others to do the same!
And make sure you like her Facebook page!
And, if you make a donation to Team PHenomenal Hope in honor of Cordelia or write #BlueLipKiss in the memo, we will donate 100% of the proceeds to her campaign!
Thank you for helping us race to make a difference!