Running for Rare was named an Official Charity Partner of the 2016 TCS New York City Marathon, it was announced today by the National Organization for Rare Disorders (NORD). The race will take place on Sunday, November 6, 2016.
“Running for Rare is thrilled to partner with the 2016 TCS New York City Marathon as an official charity partner,” said Peter L. Saltonstall, President & CEO of NORD. “The 2016 TCS New York City Marathon provides a dynamic platform for our dedicated charity runners to raise significant funds and increase awareness for the 1 in 10 Americans—most of whom are children—affected by rare diseases. We are looking forward to supporting and celebrating our runners throughout their memorable journeys, and are forever appreciative of their fundraising efforts that directly help others.”
Approximately 340 official charity partners will be part of the 2016 TCS New York City Marathon.
Funds raised by Running for Rare pay for medical testing for individuals who have exhausted all possible avenues to receive a medical diagnosis. These individuals are referred to NORD, the leading independent nonprofit dedicated to helping all people with rare diseases, and its Undiagnosed Program by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) Undiagnosed Diseases Network (UDN), the primary national resource for patients and their physicians who have already tried other alternatives in seeking a diagnosis.
The hallmark of Running for Rare that sets it apart from other charity teams is the Rare Community Partners program, which connects runners with individuals affected by rare diseases. Each partnership creates a relationship between the runner and patient partner, and provides a platform to share stories, raise awareness, find support, and connect with others going through similar challenges.
“We welcome Running for Rare as an official charity partner of the 2016 TCS New York City Marathon,” said Michael Rodgers, Vice President of Development and Philanthropy for New York Road Runners. “Our official charity partner program is one of the TCS New York City Marathon’s most meaningful elements, providing thousands of participants with the opportunity to run for causes significant to them, while raising critical funds for hundreds of inspiring non-profit organizations. We wish the best to all of these runners as they begin their extraordinary journey to the 2016 TCS New York City Marathon.”
The 2016 TCS New York City Marathon will feature a talented American and international professional athlete field, charity runners, and thousands of runners of all ages and abilities. More than 10,000 volunteers help to support participants across the 26.2-mile race route, which touches each of New York City’s five boroughs, and is lined with more than one million neighbors and guests.
The 2016 TCS New York City Marathon will be broadcast live locally on WABC-TV, Channel 7, and nationally on ESPN2.
About the TCS New York City Marathon
The TCS New York City Marathon is the premier event of New York Road Runners (NYRR) and the largest marathon in the world. Over 1,000,000 people have finished the race since its first running in 1970 with just 127 entrants and 55 finishers running four laps around Central Park. The race expanded to all five boroughs in 1976 and is now in its 40th year as a five-borough affair. Held annually on the first Sunday of November, the race features 50,000 runners including the world’s top professional athletes and a vast range of competitive, recreational, and charity runners. Participants from over 125 countries tour the city, starting on Staten Island at the foot of the Verrazano-Narrows Bridge and running through the neighborhoods of Brooklyn, Queens, and the Bronx before ending in Manhattan. In 2015, the inaugural NYRR Youth Invitational at the TCS New York City Marathon gave young runners the opportunity to run 1.8 miles of the race course in Central Park, beginning near mile 24 and finishing at the famed TCS New York City Marathon finish line. More than one million spectators and thousands of volunteers line the city streets in support of the runners, while millions more watch the live television broadcast in the New York area on WABC-TV, Channel 7, nationally on ESPN2, and via various international broadcast partners around the world. The race is part of the Abbott World Marathon Majors, which features the world’s top marathons—Tokyo, Boston, London, Berlin, Chicago, and New York—and crowns the top professional male and female marathoners each year. Tata Consultancy Services (TCS), a leading global IT services, consulting, and business solutions organization, is the premier partner of NYRR and the title sponsor of the TCS New York City Marathon. The 46th running of the TCS New York City Marathon is set for November 6, 2016. To learn more, visit www.tcsnycmarathon.org.