Boston POTSWalk & 5K
When:
Saturday, Oct 01, 2022 11:00a -
1:00p
Saturday, Oct 01, 2022 11:00a -
1:00p
Where:
DCR Mystic River Bend Reservation
Mystic Valley Pkwy
Medford, MA 02155
Admission:
$40.00
Hosted by:
Categories:
Accessible Spots, Kid Friendly, Outside
Event website:
potswalk.org/boston
Come join us in support of POTS research, education, awareness, and advocacy!
The 2022 Boston POTS Walk & 5K - the nation's largest fundraising event benefitting postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome (POTS) research - will take place on Saturday, Oct. 1, 2022 at 11 a.m. at the DCR Mystic River Bend Reservation in Medford, MA. The event is USATF sanctioned.
POTS is a debilitating disorder of the autonomic nervous system that controls the “automatic” functions of the body - such as heart rate, blood pressure, digestion, temperature control, dilation of the eyes and kidney function. It is a form of dysautonomia, and while it can strike people of any age, gender or race, POTS primarily impacts women aged 12-50. There is no cure and it often turns strong, healthy young people into bedridden patients overnight, as they struggle with this complex multi-system neurological disorder.
When a POTS patient stands upright, her body is unable to regulate heart rate and blood pressure properly. This leads to an abnormal increase in heart rate. Because the autonomic nervous system is responsible for controlling many bodily functions, POTS brings along a whole host of other symptoms including, nausea, crushing fatigue, sweating, lightheadedness, tremors and more. Despite its prevalence, most people have never heard of POTS. Even many medical professionals are unfamiliar with POTS, which makes getting a diagnosis and proper treatment extremely difficult. There is also a tragic lack of funding for ongoing research.
Last year’s event helped to raise more than $120,000 for Dysautonomia International*, a 501(c)(3) non-profit that funds cutting edge POTS research and provides patients and caregivers with much needed support.
“The POTS Walk and 5K is the largest in-person event in the U.S. dedicated to helping POTS sufferers come together and see that they are not struggling alone.” said Jacqueline Rutter Gully of Ipswich, MA, the parent of a POTS patient and event organizer. “We hope the event inspires POTS patients to continue fighting through their medical challenges, while raising much-needed funds necessary to find a cure for this cruel disorder.”
POTS is a form of dysautonomia, and October is global Dysautonomia Awareness Month.
2022 POTS Walk & 5K
• Date: Saturday, Oct. 1, 11 a.m. (registration opens at 9:30am)
• Location: DCR Mystic River Bend Reservation behind the McGlynn Middle School, Medford, MA
• Cost: $40 per person, includes t-shirt and goody bag for the first 500 pre-registrants
• Event Details and Registration: www.potswalk.org/Boston
• Post-race refreshments will be provided along with an awards presentation. The event is USATF sanctioned.
*The POTSWalk would not be possible without the generosity of our sponsors, including three who have supported the walk for years: Vitassium, Normalyte, and Team Hanna G and Me.
