High school student Leah Healy’s 5K Run for PWS raises over $16,000 for Latham
July 10, 2018
On June 16th, over 100 participants laced up their running shoes to take part in the 5K Run for Prader-Willi syndrome (PWS) in Bay Shore (Long Island), NY. Leah Healy, a rising senior at Bay Shore High School and the proud sister of Latham student Sean Healy, planned, organized, and executed the race to raise awareness for PWS, and to raise funds for Latham Centers. Over $16,000 was raised to support key initiatives at Latham including the Expanding our Circle capital campaign for the new Latham Community Center; Latham’s Asinotherapy Program (donkey therapy); and Latham School and Children’s Services.
Leah’s mother Sharon Healy said, “This race was very important to Leah. It was her idea, and she wanted to take the lead on all the planning and details. Junior year can be a very stressful time. She had a pretty rigorous course load, and she took all of this on in the middle of her lacrosse season. We are so proud of what she was able to accomplish.”
Latham Centers’ Development staff worked with Leah to create an online fundraising page that she could forward to friends and family. Runners could also personalize Leah’s page and then e-mail it to their own contacts or post it on social media. An excerpt from Leah’s page follows:
“I have a 15-year-old brother named Sean and he has Prader-Willi syndrome. I am spreading awareness of PWS so that Sean and other individuals born with PWS can benefit from your support. Sean has lived at Latham Centers in Massachusetts for the past year and a half because the daily challenges he faced due to PWS became too overwhelming for him and our family. The support and structured environment at Latham has provided him with the opportunity to be his authentic self as someone living with PWS. He is happy, understood, and thriving.”
Anne McManus, Latham Centers President and CEO, recognized Leah at Latham’s End of Year Celebration on June 21st: “We are all so grateful to Leah for her vision and her hard work in creating this 5K charity event. What an incredible act of love. Congratulations on the success of the Run for PWS and thank you to all who came out that day to run and support Latham.”
Donations to Leah’s Run for PWS are still gratefully accepted HERE.
Donations are tax-deductible and Latham Centers receives 100% of funds raised. For information on how you can help raise funds for Latham Centers, please contact Heather Kelsey, Director of Development, at (508) 364-2002 or hkelsey@lathamcenters.org.
PHOTO AND VIDEO CAPTIONS: Healy family photo (left to right) Emmett, Sean, Sharon, Leah, and John; race-day group photo; and (video clip) Latham student Sean crosses the finish line.