A MESSAGE FROM Riyana
Hi! 👋🏽 Thanks for coming to my fundraising page.
For the Chicago Marathon 2024, I’m super excited to be raising funds for GLASA, an organization that provides the disabled community access to sports.
GLASA supports disabled athletes through:
• Disability-specific sports training
• Access to coaches who are former Paralympic athletes
• Disabled sports equipment rental
• Logistical and sports competition assistance
So, why GLASA?:
In 2019, I ruptured my ACL, which placed me in the surgery room for knee reconstruction. The full healing process would take approx 3 years, led by a significant mental shift in my relationship with my body. This was especially challenging, given my background in sports my entire life. I knew my body would heal, but was worried I wouldn’t trust it again.
November 2021 - I watched in awe as disabled athletes ran past me at the NYC Marathon with sheer determination (and joy!). I thought, “If they could learn how to trust their bodies, then I could too”.
That day, two things happened:
(1) The disabled community taught me that I can rebuild trust with my body.
(2) They gave me the courage to declare that I would run the NYC Marathon in 2023.
For this reason, GLASA is who I would like to give back to for Chicago 2024. I genuinely believe everyone should be able to access movement and sports, something we take for granted. I’ve also personally engaged with GLASA athletes as well as their team members and can vouch for their work.
The Goal:
Besides fundraising, I’d like to share insights, through interviews with GLASA athletes and coaches, on what it’s like to approach sports with a disability.
I would be grateful if you would consider donating to GLASA so we can help others access sports as easily as possible. Perhaps we can support someone else who’s also trying to relearn what their bodies can do ☺️
