In loving memory of Jan Abendroth North

Hi! My name is Christina Camacho, and on November 2nd, I am running the NYC marathon! I am running this race in honor of my dear friend’s mother, Jan North. Jan passed away after 5 years battling ALS (amyotrophic lateral sclerosis or Lou Gehrig’s disease) on Mother’s Day, 2024. The type of ALS that Jan had is genetic, meaning that my best friend and her sister have a 50/50 chance of inheriting the gene. At this time, ALS is incurable. The organization that I am working with, ALS Therapy Development Institute, is a non-profit organization with the largest drug discovery lab, solely focused on finding a cure for ALS.
I chose to work with this organization specifically because during her fight, Jan was apart of a clinical trial furthering the research and development of medications. This allowed her to maintain her independence and slowed the progression of the disease. Her participation in this trial and her daughter’s presentation at an FDA advisory meeting helped play a part in the drug being approved by the FDA.

I wanted to run a marathon in honor of Jan because she was also an avid runner. She had completed 8 marathons and many half marathons. November 2nd will be the day after her 62nd birthday.

Jan was such an inspiration to so many of her friends and family. She had opened her home and heart to me on countless occasions in the time that I had known her. My hope is that in my and my best friend’s lifetime, we can find better treatments, and eventually, a cure for ALS.