Hi all! I'm running the 2025 Chicago Marathon and fundraising for the Organization for Autism Research. My run is dedicated to my older brother, Alex.

Growing up with a sibling with autism has shaped so much of who I am. Being his sister has meant learning to see the world through a different lens - one filled with empathy, patience, and a kind of love that comes without conditions or expectations. It’s also made clear to me that access to support and resources is crucial for families like mine.

When Alex was born in '92, there weren’t many resources for kids with autism, and even fewer for the families supporting them. My parents did absolutely everything they could with what little they had, learning as they went and doing their best to give Alex a full and happy life. I often think about how different that journey might have been for my family if they’d had access to the kind of support that exists today.

The Organization for Autism Research funds practical, life-changing research and provides real support to people with autism and those who love them. This fundraiser is a way for me to give back, and to help create a future where no family has to go it alone.

Here are some of the ways that OAR uses the funds raised by the Run For Autism team:

$10 provides a Curriculum in a Box professional development set to general education teachers.
$25 provides 15 copies of A Guide to Safety to families and first responders.
$100 provides the Kit for Kids peer education resource to an entire elementary or middle school.
$150 provides 100 copies of a Life Journey through Autism guidebook sent to a community support group or military installation.
$1,000 provides a research grant for a graduate student studying autism.
$3,000 provides a scholarship for a student with autism to attend college.
$50,000 fully underwrites an applied research pilot study.

Every donation, big or small, makes a meaningful impact. Thank you so much for supporting this cause that’s so close to my heart!