Running for Diabetes Research

My personal and professional motto is "Leave an Impact".

My name is Mary, I am an American from Emmaus, Pennsylvania, a Lehigh University grad, a former Division I softball player, and now I run a marketing consultancy business where I aim to engage customers in social impact projects that better their communities. Oh, I also live in Verona, Italy with my Italian husband and two kids: Jayson (5) and Vincent (2).

At the end of 2022 I started thinking about where I could contribute, and I considered what I like to do and what's important to me.

I like to run. A lot.

This past year I started training more seriously, and participated in 12 competitive races ranging between 10K, 15K and 21K (half marathon) between Europe and the United States. In November 2022 I finally hit my running goal of doing a half marathon in under 1h30 (1:29:20 finish), and now I am setting my sights higher.

So who can I run for?

Diabetes has made its way into my family in various ways. My dad was diagnosed with Type II diabetes in 1998 and it has greatly affected his lifestyle over the years. My sister had gestational diabetes throughout two pregnancies. I, myself, had PCOS (polycystic ovary syndrome) which is closely linked to diabetes and the body's ability to produce and effectively use insulin. Diabetes now affects around 1 in 10 adults worldwide.

Unfortunately, diet and lifestyle choices are not enough to combat this disease. It is also genetic, which is why research in this area is increasingly important. My family has been lucky enough to manage diabetes and related illnesses with proper medication and particular attention to an active lifestyle and healthy diet options. But more can be done.

So that's why I run!

Support me throughout 2023 as I run even more races, look to reach some personal goals and hopefully run my first marathon when I register for the NYC Marathon in November!