November 6, 2023
The New York City Marathon brings together 30,000 professional and amateur runners from around the world to NYC who have trained long hours to prepare for this iconic international event. For Laura Haley, Sarah Edwards, and Molly Supple, from Arizona, Oregon, and Spain, respectively, who met in college and bonded through running, their reason centers around the fourth in their foursome of best friends, Rosie de Queljoe from Los Angeles.
Bonded from the start, the girls lived life to the fullest while at the University of Arizona, graduating between 2016-17. Running on their college team became a thread that further connected them. Interestingly, Rosie wasn’t a runner. But she became their personal cheering section and supporter at every meet.
In 2022, the roles reversed, and Rosie was faced with a different kind of race, and her friends became her cheerleaders and support system. Previously an active and energetic person, Rosie felt sluggish, endured unexplained pain, and had rashes on her face as well as hair loss. Desperate for answers, she saw multiple doctors and experienced far too many frustrations with inaccurate diagnoses, a sad and all too common experience for people with the disease. Eventually Rosie was diagnosed with lupus, a disease that has few treatment options and which don’t work for all with the disease.
Wanting to do something to honor and celebrate their selfless, fun and kind-hearted friend, and to help support the many more who suffer from the debilitating symptoms of lupus, Laura, Molly, and Sarah, signed up to run in the 2023 TCS New York City Marathon as part of the Lupus Research Alliance: Our Team Life Without Lupus training and fundraising program. They tried to keep it a surprise for Rosie but told her on her birthday so they could use social media to fundraise. With some 20 spectators cheering them on from the sidelines, Laura, Sarah and Molly reached their goal, raising $9,000 thus far for the cause!
“This weekend was such a beautiful actualization of friendship and purposeful action! Molly, Laura and Sarah selflessly fundraised and trained for the NYC Marathon to raise awareness around lupus and lupus research, and I couldn’t be more blown away by their sacrifice,” notes Rosie. “My journey through lupus has been tumultuous, but these three make it manageable with their unwavering support and endless supply of laughs. I’m so grateful to have such incredible friends like them.”
Team Life Without Lupus is almost at their goal of $79,000. Please click here to help get them over the finish line!
