The McCarthy-Hillers family will be hosting a 5K run/one-mile walk in Brittany McCarthy’s memory at Wolfe’s Pond Park Sept. 23.
STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. — A Dongan Hills family that has raised awareness about brain aneurysms and funding for research in their daughter’s honor is set to host a 5K run/one-mile walk at Wolfe’s Pond Park on Saturday.
The second annual event will begin at 10 a.m. and will be hosted by Patricia McCarthy-Hillers, who lost her 21-year-old daughter, Brittany McCarthy, when she suffered a ruptured brain aneurysm two years ago.
“We are excited to host the 2nd annual 5K run and one-mile walk in support of The Bee Foundation for brain aneurysm prevention,” McCarthy-Hillers said. “Come run and walk with us to help us to honor Brittany’s life and all those affected by this disease. You can help us to make a difference by raising awareness and funding for research grants, with the hope to find a way to detect a brain aneurysm — before it ruptures — to save many lives.”
Since 2021, the McCarthy family has raised over $100K and funded two research grants for The Bee Foundation. This past July, the family hosted a “butterfly” gala which brought together close to 200 people, including those who have been impacted by the disease.
In 2021, The Bee Foundation had heard about the family’s story and used $25,000 raised by Brittany’s sister, Ashley, to establish the Brittany McCarthy TBF Brain Aneurysm Preventative Research Grant.
The following year, Dr. Stacey Quintero Wolfe, professor and residency program director of Neurological Surgery and Radiology at Wake Forest University School of Medicine, was awarded the research grant in honor of Brittany.
Patricia McCarthy-Hillers and her family will host a 5K run/one-mile walk at Wolfe’s Pond Park on Saturday, Sept. 23, in honor of her late daughter, Brittany.
This year’s recipient will be Dr. Visish M. Srinivasan, assistant professor of neurosurgery at the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania, according to McCarthy-Hillers.
As part of the research grant, Srinivasan will “look to better understand the epigenetic factors leading to the formation and rupture of brain aneurysms with the hope of finding new medical therapies for prevention and treatment.”
More than 500,000 deaths occur worldwide each year due to the disease and every 18 minutes a brain aneurysm ruptures.
“We need to change these numbers,” McCarthy-Hillers previously said. “There are ways to prevent a massive heart attack from happening with testing and other procedures.”
The second annual 5K run/one-mile walk will include complimentary breakfast items for all attendees, pizza, and 50/50 raffle tickets and baskets to try to win.
Those interested in participating in the 5K run/one-mile walk can register online at the event page at https://www.classy.org/event/tbf-brittany-mccarthy-staten-island-run-walk/e497272, but can also sign up in person on the day of the event.
