Wai Law achieved two significant milestones over the Labor Day weekend by running 200 miles in just under 55 hours and raising more than $20,000 for charity. Law, an accountant and ultramarathon runner from Bethpage, NY, completed 50 four-mile loops in Levittown during his fourth and most ambitious charity run. The event aimed to raise funds and awareness for the Thomas Hartman Center for Parkinson’s Research and Agape Meals for Kids.
The Hartman Center focuses on understanding the causes and symptoms of Parkinson’s disease as part of the Department of Neurobiology and Behavior at Stony Brook University. Agape Meals for Kids addresses childhood hunger and food insecurity faced by children on Long Island.
Supported by local runners throughout his journey, Law took brief rests after each loop but ran continuously day and night to achieve his goal. In previous years, he has undertaken other extensive runs for charitable causes. In 2021, Law ran across New York State from Buffalo to New York City, raising over $40,000—$22,555 for Parkinson’s disease research at Stony Brook and $17,500 for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society. In 2022, he circled Long Island's perimeter, raising nearly $20,000 for Parkinson’s research and the Adolescent Medicine Fund for Excellence.
Law's recent goal was to raise $20,000; as of September 3rd, he surpassed this figure by almost $1,000 with donations from 110 people. The “Run 4 Miles” campaign will continue through October 6th; supporters can still make contributions via the campaign web page.
Law was inspired to run for Parkinson’s research after his close friend Dennis Almodovar lost his father to the disease in 2017. He noted that Parkinson’s “not only affects the patient but also their families,” adding that it is "something you rarely hear about."
Established in 2013 within Stony Brook University's Department of Neurobiology and Behavior through a gift from the Thomas Hartman Foundation matched by the Simons Foundation, the Hartman Center awards grants annually to support innovative research projects aimed at advancing understanding of Parkinson’s disease.
Alfredo Fontanini, professor and chair of Stony Brook's Department of Neurobiology and Behavior stated that working with Law is “an incredibly meaningful relationship for us at the Hartman Center." He added: "It’s a sincere friendship; it’s a partnership. Two hundred miles in 48 hours — it’s a lot. I am incredibly appreciative.”