Apparently, I’m Running the NYC Marathon...
If you know me well, you know that voluntarily running 26.2 miles is not exactly on brand for me. Historically speaking, my relationship with running has topped out somewhere around...3 miles. But now, after years of cheering maniacally for friends and strangers from the sidelines of the NYC Marathon (always holding signs guaranteed to make runners laugh), I’ve decided it’s finally my turn.
This November, I’ll be running the New York City Marathon with the Alzheimer's Association® in honor of my dad, Radwan Shama (also fondly known as Rudy), who was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s in 2020. Like so many families living through this disease, we've experienced the long and heartbreaking daily reality of watching someone you love slowly change over time.
I know that running a marathon will not solve Alzheimer’s, but raising money for research, care, and support services feels like a meaningful way to direct my energy toward something bigger than myself.
For those of you lucky enough to know Rudy, you know he is one of the most kind, generous, gentle, hard-working, and funny people you could hope to meet. Even now, deep into Alzheimer's, he still somehow finds ways to make us laugh. I admire my father deeply, and I am so proud to be running this race in his honor.
I am also running for my mom, Fayrouz, who has been a extraordinarily resilient, standing by my dad and caring for him for the last 6 years; somehow still never losing her sharp sense of humor.
If you’d like to support me, I would be incredibly grateful for any contribution, big or small. And if donations aren’t your thing, cheering loudly with funny signs somewhere along the route in November also counts.
With love and deep gratitude ❤️,
Yasmine
Thank you to my Donors
$5k
Apu Lam
$1,000
Anonymous
$500
Yasmine Shama
$500
Maha Shama
Dad is so proud! Can't wait to cheer you on!
$500
Steven Glenn
$500
Shaw, Jeannette & Enzo
Good luck and great job!
$500
Jeff And Jenna Pawlitz
So awesome—good luck!
$500
Ken Smythe - Next Round Capital
Such a great cause !
$500
Cassie Winn
Can’t wait to CHEER you on!!
$500
Roger Edward Tamraz
$500
Anonymous
$500
Anonymous
$300
Eric Vincent
Good luck!
$250
Morgan Samet
Love you!
$250
Victoria Hegan
Will double it if you wear your Covid era ankle and wrist weights :)
$250
Nike Lawrence
You’ve got this, Yas!
$250
Sherif
Way to go! (The Egyptian Mafia expects you to win.)
$250
Victoria Schils
Go Yas!
$250
Devina Pasta
Lost my grand mum to Alzheimers. Lots of live to your parents and all the best for the marathon 💪🏽
$250
Oz The Pickleball Master
$250
Dean Bellos
$250
Ruben Guerrero
Crush it Yas!
$250
A Ryan Das
Forza Yasmine!! For a very important cause
$250
Nick Veltri
Yaz - wonderful tribute to your family and research efforts! Thinking of your family and rooting for you!
$250
Elana Sears
Such an amazing cause ♥️ you are awesome for doing this!
$250
Leslie Keaveney
$250
Zlata Gleason
Amazing and best of luck! It’s the best event ever and you will crush it. I am also so proud of you that you are doing this for your dad
$204
Kate Hand
Cannot wait to see you crush this, PY! Papa Shams is an angel and he has the absolute best champion in you.
$201
Sean Nasiri
$200
Christina Calame
Love you Yas, you are going to crush this marathon! Rudy is lucky to have you Xo
$200
John Rowan
$200
Mona Malik
Excited to cheer you on! Love you!
$200
Danielle Russo
Go Yas go! For your Dad and my Grandma E: I hope a cure is found for to this life altering disease. <3
$200
Hillary Prim
So proud of you for doing this - I love you!
$200
Theo Azouz
$200
Laura J
Go go gooo 🚀🏃♀️
$200
Dhiran
Legend
$200
Mohamed Shama
Very proud of you!
$200
Claudia Stiefel
Go go go Yazzzzzzzzzz
$200
Taylor & Andreas
$200
Christie Aka Corporal
Proud of you!!
$200
Craig Standen
Good luck! It’s an incredible experience running a marathon.
$150
Samantha Cucolo
$150
Yusef Kassim
Good luck on the race!!
$150
Erin Summe
You got this Yassha!
$150
Elena Devoy
Go Yas!! So proud of you!!
$150
Don Burns
Gl Yasmine
$125
Emily Barkus
$120
Alim
$120
Bryan Liang
Go Yas! This will be an incredible milestone. Proud of you!
$120
Siddhart
Go Yas!
$120
Corinne Sawers
Love you and so proud 💕💕💕💕
$101
Dominick Negrotto
dont fail me
$100
Ajai Atal
Go Yazzie! So proud of u. Can't wait to cheer you on in the fall :0)
$100
William Kim
$100
Sara Rona
You got this gf!! A cause very near and dear to my heart as well <3
$100
Jenna Pugrant
Go, Yas, go!! Proud of you and will be cheering you on.
$100
Paul K
Good lick
$100
Jk + Jasmine
Go Yaz!!
$100
Michael Jordan
Go Yas!
$100
Madeleine Buras
Can’t wait to cheer you on!!
$100
Yijia Gu
Run run run! As Billie would say
$100
Mihir Jain
$100
Zina Ajlouny
$100
Mariana Mora
$100
John Kleinow
Go Yaz!
$100
Mike Guirguis
$100
Anonymous
$100
Ryan Savitz
$100
Erin Hickey
Good luck, girlfriend! You will rock this race. Sending so much love to you, your father and your whole family.
$100
Jeremy Rosenberg
$100
Anton
$100
George M
Good luck Yasmine!!!!
$100
Liz Mckenzie
$100
Whitney
$100
Sasha Pilch
Well done Yasmine! Sara and I will watch you run and cheer you on. What a great cause to be raising for too!
$100
Sarah Maryssael
Amazing cause Yasmine, thinking of you and your dad
$100
Vlad Isac
Have a great race!
$100
Anonymous
$100
Pauline
$100
Andrew Fedele
$100
A Y
$100
Will Wells
$75
Feraz
$60
Stephanie Schils
$60
Anonymous
Good luck Yasmine!
$60
Bashir
$60
Marika Bigler
$60
Eduardo De Angelis
Go get it, Yas! Never ran the NYC marathon, so I’ll live precariously through your pictures! I’m sure they will be in the usual style!
$60
Kirk Hourdajian
Good luck Yasmine!
$60
Erica Zara
$60
Anonymous
Good luck with the run and raise
$52
Jonathan Stadin
$50
K K
GOOD LUCK!!!
$50
Kristin S
Go Yas!! This is amazing!
$50
Sarve
Go Yas Go!
$50
Amanda Cifarelli
$50
Aiya Aboubakr
❤️❤️❤️
$50
Kimberly Teller
$50
Anna Valentine
$50
Tiffany Servidio
$50
Param
Good luck, you've got this! 💪
$50
Matthew Ciel
$50
Morgan Olaughlin
A great cause to be running for! Best of luck on the race, I'm sure you'll crush it!
$50
Simon B
You're gonna kill it!!!
$35
Lauren
Go get ‘em Yazzle Dazzle
$35
Alix Brunet
Go Yasmine!
$35
Jeremy Burke
Awesome, good luck with training and the race!
$35
Osvaldo Porto
🚂🚂🚂💨💨💨
$35
Irina & Polina
Yas, you are an inspiration to all of us!
$26
Sam M
$26
Jenn R
Rooting for you! You got this
$25
Julia Morris
Wonderful cause! I know you will crush it!!!
$25
Cory
$25
Katie Shen
Go Yas!!!
$20
Asif Rahman
Crush it!!
Never change