Long Island Man To Run 320 Miles To Benefit Mental Health Programs And Parkinson's Research

Setting out from Stony Brook University, Wai Law is running the perimeter of Long Island to raise money for Parkinson’s disease research and mental health support for young people on Long Island. The long distance run covers about 320 miles, along the north and south shores and to Brooklyn and back. He plans to complete the run over two weekends, finishing on Sunday, July 31.

Last summer, Law completed the 555 mile long Empire State Trail from Buffalo to New York City. In the process, he and his team raised more than $40,000 total ($22,555 for Parkinson’s Disease research at Stony Brook University and $17,500 for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society). The trip was inspired by his friend Dennis Almodovar of Massapequa, whose dad, Ruben, died at age 80 in 2017 of the disease. This summer, the dedicated duo are looking to repeat these successes on their home turf. The goal is to increase awareness while raising funds for two programs based at Stony Brook University. Those programs are the Thomas Hartman Center for Parkinson’s Research, a center dedicated solely to basic science research into the causes of Parkinson’s disease and its symptoms, and the Adolescent Medicine Fund for Excellence, which helps Stony Brook’s Division of Adolescent Medicine provide mental health support and other critical resources to young people on Long Island.

“The Thomas Hartman Center for Parkinson’s Research and the Department of Neurobiology and Behavior at Stony Brook University are deeply grateful to Wai and Dennis for their outstanding continued friendship and support,” said Dr. Alfredo Fontanini, chair of the Department of Neurobiology & Behavior, Stony Brook University. “Their ultra-runs and their commitment to raising awareness for Parkinson’s research and mental health are truly inspiring for all of us involved in neuroscience research and development of new therapeutic approaches.”

Both Law and Almodovar are also thinking about the overall wellness of youth and young adults in the community.

“We need to continue to advocate and encourage the youth to seek help, as well as educate parents and the society as a whole to recognize that mental health disorders among the younger generation are real and addressing this issue is critically important,” says Law. “With the support of the community, I’m hoping that these first steps can be taken together toward a brighter and better future.”

This year, the run aims to raise $32,000 for these programs whose missions reach far beyond Long Island and positively impact the lives of many.