Veronica Armbruster has been running marathons for years. With 18 marathons, and 8 Boston Marathon entries, Veronica has a lot of experience and a lot of miles under her feet. In the past, she's raised money while running for various charities. This year, Veronica wanted to do something special for her cousin, Theresa "Tisa" Caruso. Tisa has FOP (fibrodysplasia ossificans progressiva), one of the rarest, most disabling genetic conditions known to medicine. FOP causes bone to form in muscles, tendons, ligaments and other connective tissues. Bridges of extra bone develop across joints, progressively restricting movement and forming a second skeleton that imprisons the body in bone. There are no other known examples in medicine of one normal organ system turning into another.

On October 11, Veronica is running the Boston Marathon in honor of Tisa Caruso to raise awareness about FOP and to raise money to support the mission-critical work of the IFOPA. Will you make a gift to support Veronica and her goal to raise money for the IFOPA?

Tisa considers Veronica an angel on her shoulder and Veronica considers Tisa the wind beneath her wings (or her runner legs). The last time they were on FaceTime together, Veronica was able to get a picture that perfectly captures their special relationship which you can see above. 

In helping Veronica raise money to support the IFOPA, you help fund FOP research, provide education and support programs for FOP families worldwide and raise awareness. Thank you for making a donation today!