Wheelchair user completes 12 marathons, raises $1M for charity

By Michael Lee Simpson via SWNS

Peri Finkelstein has completed 12 marathons - an accomplishment that would be impressive for anyone.

But for the 24-year-old with muscular dystrophy, who completed each race in a jogging stroller while being pushed by her mother, it has deeper meaning.

After building up from a few steps, the determined Long Island native completed the last feat on her own and walked over the finish line with the help of her teammates.

Using her walker, it can take her up to an hour and a half to cross the finish line.

But her incredible resilience has raised $1,017,340 for Chai Lifeline - a charity that has supported her for years.

And while she's no longer to physically take part in marathons anymore due to her unexpected medical challenges, she's still cheering others and raising funds.

“The same methodology I used to prepare both physically and mentally for a marathon is what I carry into my daily life now,” she said.

“You have to push yourself to the limit for each mile marker because nothing will come easy.”

She was diagnosed with nemaline rod myopathy at birth, which causes severe muscle weakness that affects her mobility and speech

Her marathon journey began in 2009 when her mom and brother did their first one.

The next year they completed again - raising cash for a charity that had helped the family since Peri was a child.

Watching her family participate from the sidelines in 2010, Finkelstein felt inspired.

“I knew that next year I wanted to make more of an impact,” she says.

In the following years, she participated alongside them, with her mother pushing her in a jogging stroller - her medical equipment carefully secured underneath.

However, in 2016, Finkelstein decided it was time for a change.

Supported by her physical therapist and parents, she took her first steps across the finish line.

“That was a defining moment,” she says. “It felt as if I could do anything I put my mind to.”

Over time, those steps turned into walking over 1,000 steps, and eventually a mile and a half — forward and backward — across the finish line, year after year.

Until 2016, when she decided to come out of her jogging stroller and walk across the finish line. 2016 was just a few steps, 2017 - over 1,000 steps, 2019, 1 mile, and 2020, 1.5 miles - walking both forward and backward.

Her mom would push her up until that last mile mark before she would take over and finish the marathon using her walker.

Despite facing additional medical challenges in 2022 and 2023 that made it difficult for her to physically participate, Finkelstein remained undeterred.

“I never thought that part of my life would come to a crashing halt,” she admits. “But when it did, I knew I wouldn’t let that setback define me.”

Harnessing her energy, Finkelstein shifted her focus toward fundraising, determined to meet a one-million-dollar goal that would benefit Chai Lifeline, the charity that had supported her for so long.

In January 2024, she exceeded that goal, raising $1,017,340.

This accomplishment inspired Finkelstein to take things further.

In November 2022, she officially launched the Team Peri Foundation, a nonprofit with a mission to promote inclusion and break down the stereotypes surrounding disability.

Finkelstein holds both a B.S. and an MBA in marketing, achievements she says have played a pivotal role in her career.

Finkelstein’s work with the Team Peri Foundation has continued to grow since its inception.

One of its first major initiatives was establishing the Julie Hait Adler Scholarship Fund in partnership with Adelphi University, Finkelstein’s alma mater.

Named in memory of a close family friend, the fund will provide scholarships to students with a GPA of 3.6 or higher who have faced personal challenges.

“Our goal is to raise $25,000 by the end of 2024, and Adelphi will match that donation,” Finkelstein says. “We want this to be a lasting impact.”

Finkelstein is already looking ahead to future projects.

“I want to create conversations between individuals with disabilities and those in positions of influence in business, healthcare, and academia,” she says.

“Open dialogue is key.”

In addition to her nonprofit work, Finkelstein is the host of the popular podcast, Team Peri Step Out of Line, inspired by Emmy Award-winning actress Alex Borstein’s speech about “stepping out of line.”

“That concept resonated with me,” Finkelstein says. “I’ve always felt like I was on the outside looking in, and this podcast has allowed me to share stories of others who have had similar experiences.”

She regularly shares her life on social media, aiming to show that people with disabilities can live full, enriching lives.

“I’m not suffering, and I’m not an inspiration for simply existing,” she says.

“My hope is that by showing the highs, lows, and everything in between, people will see the full story.

“The most rewarding part of this journey has been learning how to believe in myself.

“Now, I want to inspire others to step out of line and make a difference.”