Laura Blackorby Rheumatoid Arthritis Corporate Vice Chair Laura has been battling rheumatoid arthritis for 30+ years. After suffering a lot early on in her diagnosis, Laura finally found a treatment plan that helped her regain life. Laura has always been active, but in 2013 began focusing her efforts on running. She is a marathon runner turned marathon race walker who chose to run her first marathon in 2015 to show the disease that it didn’t have control over her, but rather, she had control over it! Laura has since completed the Flying Pig, New York City, Chicago, and Berlin marathons. The Jingle Bell Run has always been an event near and dear to Laura, and to all her friends and family who join her team “Laura’s Belles” each year. Laura notes that without all the people in her life, she would not be here today standing strong, standing at all, without their constant support. When she race walked the Berlin Marathon, she put two temporary tattoos on her arm that represented her journey with rheumatoid arthritis and provided her motivation and support throughout the race. They read, “Actually, I can” and “I am the hero of this story”.
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