Shirley Kessel, Drs. Rick Mankin and Lisa Goldstein
Shirley Kessel and Katie Golden
participants at the first race in 2013. Kessel said she under-
stands that not every migraine patient is able to participate
in the walk/run due to their illness, but she still encourages
everyone to attend.
“You’re advocating just by being there,” Kessel said. “When
they (media and sponsors) see how many people are actually
invested and interested in an event like this, they’re going
to take a second look and realize the work we’re doing is
important.”
Kessel said she wants to build a community for individuals
with migraine and other headache disorders.
“We want to create a place where people can come and
advocate for themselves, and thereby reduce the stigma asso-
ciated with migraine,” Kessel said. “It’s not until people with
migraine and other headache disorders start to do that, will
the perception of people with migraine and other headache
disorders start to change.”
Corroo encourages individuals with serious headache
conditions to get involved any way they can. She calls it the
“-ings.” Corroo said any action (walking for migraine, talk-
ing about migraine with friends and family, blogging about
migraine) are all ways to generate awareness.
“If we create awareness, the funding will follow. The fel-
lowship funding will follow and the stigma will be lifted,”
Corroo said.
Miles for Migraine continues to expand its outreach. In
September, the organization added a third race location,
Naperville, Illinois, a suburb of Chicago. The schedule will
continue to expand in 2017, when races will be added in
Washington, D.C. and Phoenix. Two more locations are
expected to be added in 2018, according to Kessel; however,
the locations have not yet been decided.
“Our long-term goal is to have 25 races,” Kessel said.
In addition to increasing awareness through the races,
Miles for Migraine has also raised funds for headache re-
search. Since 2008, the organization has donated $79,000 to
AHDA and to hospitals in Philadelphia and San Francisco.
Miles for Migraine is more than walk/runs, however. Be-
ginning in June 2014, the organization began hosting youth
camps aimed at children and teens impacted by migraine or
other headache disorders. Corroo said the goal is to provide
the children and teens in attendance with a toolkit to cope
with