The Central Jersey Dystonia Support and Action Group, which has been meeting at CentraState Medical Center, Freehold Township, for 17 years, is looking for runners and sponsors for its team in the TCS New York City Marathon. This year’s marathon will be held on Nov. 5.
According to the TCS New York City Marathon website, “Running for a charity not only provides you with guaranteed entry, it also gives you the opportunity to change lives and give back to your community.”
New York Road Runners, which organizes the marathon, requires that everyone running for a charity raise at least $2,500 for that organization. Sponsor donations are divided among the runners to help them reach that goal, according to a press release.
Proceeds from the support group’s team will benefit the Dystonia Medical Research Foundation. This marks the fifth consecutive year the support group will have a team in the marathon. The teams have raised more than $120,000, according to the press release.
Dystonia, which causes muscles to painfully and involuntarily contract and spasm, is caused by too much electrical activity in the brain. Experts estimate that hundreds of thousands, and possibly as many as three quarters of a million people in the United States, have a form of dystonia. One third of them are children.
While many diseases and disorders deteriorate parts of bodies, experts have not found any permanent damage in the brains of dystonia patients, according to the press release. Therefore, if the source of the extra electricity can be found and turned off, those with dystonia could be cured, according to the press release.
Anyone interested in sponsoring the team or running in the marathon may obtain additional information by emailing [email protected]