Five people who are inspired by the bleeding disorders community are lacing up for an immense physical challenge: running the TCS New York City Marathon on November 2, 2025. They’ll be running across the Verrazano-Narrows Bridge, through the streets of Brooklyn and Queens, and down 5th Avenue in Manhattan – and each step will help NBDF’s mission of helping people and families living with bleeding disorders to thrive.
Maggie Carruth from Jackson, WY has a son who was born with severe hemophilia A. Like many women, she had no idea that she was a carrier of the hemophilia gene until her son Teddy was born. She’s an active athlete and a powerful champion for people with bleeding disorders. “While there have been great advancements in treatment for severe hemophilia, there still is no cure,” she says. “I will be running with NBDF to raise awareness for all bleeding disorders!” You can support Maggie at her fundraising page here: https://www.uniteyourway.org/index.cfm?fuseaction=donordrive.participant&participantID=1992
Dr. Patrycja Galazka has seen the effects that bleeding disorders can have on a person’s life firsthand. As a cardiologist, she says “I’ve seen the moment when a routine procedure turns dangerous because of uncontrolled bleeding.” She’s been inspired by the challenges that the bleeding disorders community faces every day, and the resilience and hope that permeates through her patient’s lives. She is not, as she says, a professional athlete, and she admits the training has been difficult. But she is inspired by the mission of NBDF and the community it serves. “As I run, I carry their stories,” she said. You can support Dr. Galazaka here: https://www.uniteyourway.org/index.cfm?fuseaction=donordrive.participant&participantID=1991
For Maggie Mooney-Pearson of Nashville, TN, bleeding disorders are a family affair. Her older brother Barry has hemophilia B, and her mother immersed herself in the bleeding disorders community to ensure her brother received the best care possible. She developed a passion for running and has three half marathons under her belt. Her biggest challenge will come in November, but she views it as an opportunity. “The marathon isn’t just a race for me; it’s a platform to shed light on hemophilia B and the challenges faced by those living with bleeding disorders.” You can support Maggie Mooney-Pearson here: https://www.uniteyourway.org/index.cfm?fuseaction=donordrive.participant&participantID=1988
The mission of NBDF is extremely important to Evie Peterson of New York, NY, who was diagnosed with the rare bleeding disorder immune thrombocytopenic purpura, or ITP when she was six years old. ITP is an autoimmune disease that causes the body to attack and destroy its own platelets, leading to bleeding symptoms. As a kid, Evie was in and out of the hospital, receiving platelet transfusions, steroid treatments and other treatments—“none of which did much to improve my quality of life,” she shared. She suffered nightly nosebleeds that lasted for an hour or more. Finally, at the age of nine, she had her spleen removed, which increased her platelet count enough to reduce her bleeding and bruising. In high school, she joined the cross-country team. “It became my outlet, and I challenged myself to go longer and push harder – especially in the face of fatigue from my ITP.” She is running for team NBDF because, “I want to look beyond myself and my disease and conquer a 26 miler, and, with the help of research, conquer bleeding disorders across the board.” You can support Evie Peterson here: https://www.uniteyourway.org/index.cfm?fuseaction=donordrive.participant&participantID=1989
Dr. Magdalena Lewandowska believes in the “power of a community that refuses to let people with bleeding disorders face their challenges alone.” Dr. Lewandowska is a practicing hematologist at the Innovative Hematology Indiana Hemophilia and Thrombosis Center in Indianapolis, IN. “For my patients, a simple bump, nosebleed or routine surgery can turn into a life-threatening event and cause internal bleeding,” she says. It makes her reflect on the simple things that so many of her patients opt out of doing because of their bleeding disorder – traveling, playing sports, or even having children. “Too many patients still lack consistent access to care. Treatment remains prohibitively expensive, and the emotional toll is real,” she says. She is running with NBDF because “NBDF’s work is critical to my patients and the larger bleeding disorders community,” she said, and she is hopeful about the future. “Together, we can stop the bleeding, ”You can support Dr. Lewandowska here: https://www.uniteyourway.org/index.cfm?fuseaction=donordrive.participant&participantID=1990
These five runners are true champions for the bleeding disorders community. By taking on the challenge of the TCS New York City Marathon, they are raising awareness, supporting research, and contributing to a better future for people with bleeding disorders, one mile at a time.
