My name is Dana Casanave and I am 29 year old wife, mother and runner from Leesburg, Virginia. I am currently working on an extreme challenge to run 52 marathons in 52 weeks. As one of the 52 marathons, I am running Potomac River Run Marathon on May 2, 2010.
I am running these races to raise funds and awareness for 25:40, a nonprofit organization dedicated to help children in South Africa survive the HIV/AIDS epidemic. Many of these children have lost one or both parents to AIDS and many are HIV+ themselves. 25:40 supports and fosters the creation of orphanages, health clinics, day care centers, schools and other entities that are critical to the care and health development of children impacted by AIDS.
I am calling this journey 52 Beginnings, and each of my 52 races will be run for a different child from the Ngqeleni District in the Eastern Cape of South Africa. In 2009, 25:40 identified over 1,500 children in this region as being orphaned or vulnerable to becoming orphans. 25:40 is working on a multi-year program designed to meet the basic and most essential needs of each of these children. While I’m beginning these marathon races 52 times, I also hope to make a new beginning for each of these children.
You can view my blog about this journey at www.52beginnings.com, and I have a page on the 25:40 charity website at www.2540.org/Team2540/52-beginnings-e9/dana-casanave-m73.
Thank you for your time and consideration,
Dana Casanave