26.2 Miles · NYC Marathon
25 lbs Weighted Vest
Nov 1 Race Day · 2026
$25K Fundraising Goal

Help Us Reach $25,000

Every dollar funds CureCMD's mission to find treatments and a cure for Congenital Muscular Dystrophy — so children like Bella can have a brighter future.

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Mark training in his weighted vest inscribed 'For Bella'

Bearing the Weight For Bella

On November 1, 2026, Mark will toe the starting line of the TCS New York City Marathon — all 26.2 miles — wearing a 25-pound weighted vest.

The vest isn't just a physical challenge. It's a symbol of the extra weight that children like his daughter Bella carry every single day living with Congenital Muscular Dystrophy (CMD).

Mark has done this before. In 2016, he completed a Half Ironman Triathlon — a 1.2-mile swim, 56-mile bike, and 13.1-mile run — in a weighted vest. Now he's back, taking on the world's most iconic marathon course, one step at a time, for Bella.

Read Our Story

CureCMD Is Making Progress

Since its founding in 2008 by three parents of children with CMD, CureCMD has turned donor dollars into real scientific momentum. Here's what's been accomplished — and why there's never been a better time to give.

$4M+ in research grants funded through donor support
2 clinical trials launched for CMD treatments
4,000+ patients in the global CMD registry
30+ CMD-causing genes identified by funded researchers

Gene therapy and protein replacement therapies are now moving toward human clinical trials — but research takes sustained funding to cross the finish line.

Learn More About the Research

Every Step Is For Bella

You don't have to run 26.2 miles. But you can make every mile Mark runs count. Join hundreds of supporters helping fund the research that could change the future for Bella and thousands of children living with CMD.

Follow the Journey

Join the Beare It For Bella Facebook community for training updates, behind-the-scenes moments, and race day news.

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