Kacey runs the Boston Marathon for PYD

It was the first beautiful spring day in Boston, one week before THE Marathon and the vibrant atmosphere of Life Alive in Central Square, Cambridge was the ideal setting to catch up with the luminous Kacey Fields. Kacey first learned about PYD from an outreach event at Northeastern University. She was tabling for the Friendship Network. She signed up for our E-Options, and just loved what we do from the start.

Kacey is one of four children in her family. She is blessed with three older siblings, two brothers and one sister. Jenna, her sister, has Down Syndrome and is a rock of the family. The strength is quite reciprocal as her sis has a great support network: her Mom and Dad, Grammy, brothers and Kacey. Kacey would like youth and young adults with disabilities to have the same kind of strong and supportive network that her sister is fortunate to have, and she sees PYD as providing that kind of support network for many youth and families. That is one of her main motivations for running the marathon for PYD–to help support PYD financially so that PYD can continue its important work to help youth with disabilities lead more fulfilling lives.

Fun facts about Kacey and her family:

Sister Jenna loves to sing and dance and learns a lot of lyrics to songs.

Kacey is running the marathon for the second consecutive year through Sam Adams Brewery who has 30 numbers that they provide to runners for the marathon.

A snippet of Kacey’s marathon nutrition: before a run at breakfast she’ll mic and mash organic sweet potato on a rice cake slathered with a layer of almond butter. (Try it for yourself!) She’s been eating tons of bananas, and on runs she’s been bringing along chia bars, drinking raw coconut water, and beet juice.

A PYD cheerleading squad will be catching up with her at mile 23, and her requested pick me up fuel at that point is Swedish Fish! Watch for Kacey, bib no. 30789. She’ll be wearing a purple jersey with her last name “Fields” on it.

It is PYD’s 30th Anniversary and extraordinary efforts of support like this one add to the brilliance of the milestone. Kacey’s goal was to raise $1,500 and she’s already surpassed that and raised $2,010 days before the big race! To donate, please visit Kacey’s fundraising page here.

We would like to extend our most enthusiastic feelings of gratitude to Kacey, her family, friends, and all in the PYD community coming together to support PYD through Kacey’s Boston Marathon run.