Support Sophie's Fundraiser for the HS Foundation! | Hidradenitis Suppurativa Foundation

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Support Sophie's Fundraiser for the HS Foundation!

I’m running the New York City Marathon to raise funds for the Hidradenitis Suppurativa Foundation - but for me, this race is about so much more than crossing a finish line. It’s about turning something painful and isolating into something that can spark hope, awareness, and change.

Two years ago, I began experiencing symptoms that I couldn’t explain - painful, recurring lumps that made even small, everyday movements difficult. At first, I brushed it off, hoping it was temporary. But days turned into weeks, and weeks into months, and the pain didn’t go away. I kept pushing through, silently, because I didn’t know how to explain what I was going through.

For nearly a year, I lived in limbo - visiting different doctors, trying treatments that didn’t help, and wondering if I’d ever find an answer. Finally, after countless appointments, I was diagnosed with Hidradenitis Suppurativa (HS). I learned that HS is a chronic, inflammatory skin condition that has no known cure. Treatments can help, but flare-ups can return without warning. And perhaps most difficult of all - it’s something many people have never even heard of, even though it affects millions.

Hearing that I had a chronic condition was overwhelming. I felt relief in having a name for it, but also frustration and sadness knowing it wasn’t something I could simply “fix.” I also began to realize that there’s very little public awareness, limited research, and far too many people living with HS who feel they have to suffer in silence.

That’s why this marathon matters to me. Every mile I run is for the people who are still searching for answers, for those who feel isolated by their symptoms, and for the researchers working tirelessly to understand this disease. I want to raise funds to support critical research into what causes HS, how it can be treated more effectively, and - one day - how it can be cured.

The NYC Marathon is a challenge, but it’s nothing compared to the daily challenges so many with HS face. On race day, I’ll be running with gratitude for the support I’ve received, determination to shine a light on this condition, and hope that each step I take brings us closer to awareness, better treatments, and, hopefully, a cure.

$2,341 raised

117% of $2,000 goal · 28 supporters

Campaign ended Nov 2, 2025 at 11:59pm