2021 The Run to Break Through

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Join the Breakthough Intensive Physical Therapy community in the
 RUN TO BREAK THROUGH
85 miles | September 4, 2021
 
Founder, Christine Astarita is excited to announce the Run to Break Through - a run to prove that you should “never say never!”
She will be running an 85 mile supermarathon from Montauk to the Breakthrough office in Islandia and wants you to join her!  In addition to running this length, she will also be selecting a group of clients to push in an adaptive stroller for certain legs of the run! 
 
Whether you want to run alongside her, ride your adaptive tricycle, or cheer her on from the sidelines - we invite you to start a team and fundraise to support our beneficiary: 

  
Running for me has always been a journey. Whether it be pushing myself past limits, overcoming mental
challenges, or working towards races of my dreams, I have always found peace and learned more about
myself on these journeys than I could even describe. Inspired by the stories of Dick Hoyt competing in
races with his son Rick, I’ve envisioned myself running while wheeling clients of ours and continuing to
make a positive impact on the special needs community. Although never being able to be in the shoes of
someone with a physical disability, I’ve imagined the freedom that participating in events like that must
give them; The feeling of no limits, no restrictions, and a completely inclusive environment.
This past year was challenging for every single one of us. Not a single person made it out of this time
without having to adjust, adapt, and change something about our lifestyles or ourselves. For our special
needs community, some faced truly detrimental challenges. Services switched to telehealth, schools
switched virtual, “not medically necessary” surgeries were delayed, amongst a whole list of additional
ways this community and families needed to adapt. Parents and caregivers in this community already
wear many hats, but they then were expected to balance spinning plates in every direction, too. Parents
and caregivers had to (and some still have to) act as therapist, school teacher, employee for their typical
jobs, and also act as mom or dad. These families fight daily for services and necessary equipment, and
this entire past year became an extra fight. Routine was ripped from these families and these children and
caused them to again have to adapt and adjust. Yet again, this community proved its resilience and the
ability to see the positives despite the challenges.

Looking into 2021, I wanted to bring the community together to celebrate their resilience and to create an
experience together that would prove their potential, their ability to adapt, and their strength, is limitless. I
decided that I would combine my dreams of wheeling our clients in a race, with something extraordinary.
So, on September 4th, 2021, I will be running 85 miles from the Montauk lighthouse to our Breakthrough
office in under 24 hours, while joined by the community whether that be running alongside of me, riding
their adaptive tricycles next to me, or while I wheel them in an adaptive stroller. I want them to feel like
there is nothing that they cannot do; there is nothing they cannot participate in; there is nothing they
cannot be part of. I want this to bring families the reminder that the only limits there are, are those we
place on ourselves and that there is hope beyond the challenges.

Throughout the past year, charitable organizations also have faced significant losses in serving their
missions, so in addition to bringing the community together, this project will raise funds for a local
organization called Angela’s House. Angela’s House assists families across Long Island that have
children with medical needs and they help provide support services to improve the quality of life for the
children and their families. This mission resonates so strongly with ours at Breakthrough in helping
improve the quality of lives of these families and provide resources and support that will give them hope
for their futures.

My mantra as I’ve begun training has been, “Strong Legs. Strong Mind. Strong Heart”. Strong legs to
push our clients, strong mind to overcome challenges and self-limiting beliefs, and strong heart to pour
into every ounce of what I wake up every day for.

Serving this community is my life’s mission and I will always be here to remind families - you are resilient,
you are strong, and there is nothing we cannot do together.

Teams and Walkers

Select A Team:

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