Hi everybody! On October 12, 2025, I will be running the Chicago Marathon. I am running on behalf of the charity “ALS United – Greater Chicago” and am kindly asking for any donation possible! 

A bit about why I am running on behalf of this charity. My late grandpa, Henry Thomas “HT” Desnoyers, was diagnosed with Bulbar’s Palsy in 2008, which was an onset to amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, ALS. I was around 4 at that time and never fully understood what he had. Most of my memories of HT was him speaking through a computer and I always thought how cool that we had technology to allow him to communicate that way. He passed away in 2012 in his home in Clark, South Dakota.

While most of the memories I had of my grandpa were him being unable to move or speak, I know him as one of the most inspirational people in my life. He was one of the first people from South Dakota to graduate from Notre Dame (‘67) and hitchhiked to and from South Bend (could you imagine that today?!). He was the owner/operator of the oldest family owned hardware store in South Dakota, the official weather observer for Clark, SD, and gave out his famous gold coins to everyone he met. He is definitely where I got my love for science and Notre Dame.

Because my grandpa couldn’t move much for the last years of his life, I am aware of the privilege that having mobility is. I love to run with friends, march in the Band of the Fighting Irish, and spend more time in my research lab than out. Now, I hope to run the Chicago Marathon and raise money to finally end ALS. 

More generally, every 90 minutes someone is diagnosed with ALS. ALS works by degenerating the motor neurons we use to move until they die – which is paralysis is a universal symptom of ALS. As a scientist, I am aware of scientific endeavors going on for ALS – medications, therapies, and early methods of detection are all avenues being researched to help those with ALS and their families. With more funding through the government and through charities like ALS United we will finally be able to find more treatments and one day, a cure! If you’d spare even a dollar towards this fundraising goal of mine, that would be so incredibly appreciated. 

Go Irish, beat ALS ☘