Marathon Runners Take to the Big Apple to Raise Awareness of Liver Disease
TCS New York City Marathon is Sunday, November 3rd
American Liver Foundation (ALF) is proud to once again be a member of the TCS New York City Marathon Charity Program, Run for Charity, for the 2024 race, which takes place on Sunday, November 3, 2024. Runners will complete 26.2 miles through New York City’s five boroughs.
“ALF is excited to be at the TCS New York City Marathon for another year and we are grateful to once again be a charity partner. We have an amazing group of runners who continue to raise awareness and funds for the nearly 100 million people in the U.S. affected by liver disease,” said Lorraine Stiehl, Chief Executive Officer, American Liver Foundation.
All funds raised will go towards ALF’s mission to support those affected by liver disease. The ALF marathon team is made up of runners with varying levels of experience from novice to advanced, most of whom have a connection to liver disease.
Tina Chirgwin is the 2024 New York City Marathon Liver Life Challenge Chair and runs in memory of her mother and uncle, her friends who have been diagnosed with liver disease, and her patients. Since 2019, Chirgwin has been a liver transplant coordinator. “Every single one of my patients needs a lifesaving liver transplant. Unfortunately, there are more people on the waiting list than there are organs that become available,” said Ms. Chirgwin. This will be Chirgwin’s seventh marathon with Team ALF. She has run the Boston Marathon six times, and this will be her first time running the TCS New York City Marathon. She runs alongside her husband, David.
Other members of ALF’s 21-member team include:
- Joseph Beck: Running in memory of his brother-in-law, Tony, who died due to liver disease. This is his second marathon with Team ALF.
- Honor Bowman: Running her third marathon with Team ALF in honor of her father, who died after battling alcohol-associated liver disease.
- Caitlyn and Steven Callinan: Father and daughter duo running for Caitlyn’s grandfather, who passed away from nonalcoholic fatty liver disease, now called metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease. This is their second marathon.
- David Chirgwin: David cheered his wife Tina on at the Boston Marathon for six years. He is joining Team ALF for the first time. His company’s focus is developing therapies for patients fighting liver diseases like nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (newly renamed metabolic dysfunction associated steatohepatitis or MASH). He works every day to bring groundbreaking treatments to patients.
- Angela Hernandez: Joining Team ALF for the second time. Hernandez runs in memory of her father who passed away after a six-week battle with liver cancer and her friend who was diagnosed with liver disease and passed away at the age of 32.
- Kimberly Kilfoyle: Joining Team ALF for her first marathon. She is running in memory of her dad who died from hepatocellular carcinoma six weeks after his diagnosis.
- Bridgette Keller: Joining Team ALF for her first marathon to honor her son, Andrew, who was diagnosed with biliary atresia at five weeks old. Andrew is now a happy, healthy, seven-year-old.
- Meghan Meehan: Running her 8th marathon in honor of her father who died from liver cancer, hepatocellular carcinoma.
- Michael Morrissey: Joining Team ALF for the second time. Morrissey is a liver patient who was diagnosed with nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (now called metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease or MASLD).
- Ruthie O’Driscoll: Diagnosed with autoimmune hepatitis at six years old. This is her first marathon.
Learn more about ALF’s 2024 TCS New York City Marathon team and support their 26.2 mile run at https://liverlifechallenge.org/tcsnycmarathon/.
About the American Liver Foundation
American Liver Foundation (ALF) is a national community of patients, caregivers and medical professionals dedicated to helping people improve their liver health. Providing guidance and life-saving resources, we are a beacon for the 100 million Americans affected by liver disease. We advocate for patients and families, fund medical research and educate the public about liver wellness and disease prevention. We bring people together through our educational programs and events and create a network of support that lasts a lifetime. ALF is the largest organization focused on all liver diseases and the trusted voice for patients and families living with liver disease. For more information visit www.liverfoundation.org or call: 1 800 GO LIVER (800-465-4837).