Two local, active Central Park moms began to explore an opportunity to raise awareness in their fight against childhood obesity, and more specifically Prader-Willi Syndrome. Both moms, parents to Jude (age 10) and Eliza (age 7) with Prader-Willi Syndrome (PWS), wanted to give their children the opportunity to participate in a local, fitness-focused tradition on Thanksgiving Day with other children and families in their community.
PWS is the leading genetic cause of life-threatening childhood obesity, and for those affected, Thanksgiving can be a scary time of year (read more about PWS in the PWS section of the website). While there is no cure for PWS, the Foundation for Prader-Willi Research is working diligently to fund research with the goal of understanding and treating specific aspects of the syndrome to eventually eliminate the challenges of this devastating disease.
The Team
Rachael Fischer
Rachael is from Indianapolis, Indiana but has resided in Colorado since 2008. An avid runner, Rachael has participated in numerous races in Indianapolis, Chicago, San Diego, Los Angeles, Sacramento, Denver, Breckenridge and Boulder. Rachael works for an international nonprofit supporting individuals with Intellectual & Developmental Disabilities and truly enjoys supporting her son and others like him in both her personal and professional aspirations.
Since the race began in 2015, Rachael’s son, Jude, has participated in two clinical trial studies with the Foundation for Prader Willi Research with favorable outcomes (the photo above is from a trip to a clinical trial site!). Rachael and her family look forward to a day when more treatments are available to individuals with Prader Willi Syndrome because of organizations like The Foundation for Prader Willi Research.
Julie Foge
Julie was born in Dallas, Texas but has had roots in Colorado since she was a small child. She moved to Denver from Colorado Springs seven years ago and feels right at home in Central Park. She and her husband, Derrick, love being outdoors but mostly enjoy anything that allows them to spend time with their three daughters, Amelia, Eliza, and Caroline. Her experiences with Eliza inspired her to become involved as a writer and presenter to the medical community, advocating for the parent’s voice by sharing her own personal story. She also finds great enjoyment in writing about her journey in parenting a child with special needs on her blog, Leaning Into Love.