Dr. Christine Astarita will be running 100 miles within 24 hours on Saturday, Sept. 28 and Sunday, Sept. 29 while wheeling children with disabilities in an adaptive stroller alongside other athletes.

The Run to Breakthrough’s goal is to “foster a community where every individual feels valued, included and empowered to reach beyond the limits they were told or believed themselves,” according to Astarita, the founder and CEO of Breakthrough Intensive Physical Therapy and executive director of The Run to Breakthrough Inc.

Astarita will be starting at the Montauk Lighthouse and ending at the Breakthrough office in Islandia, N.Y.

There will be 10 official stops across the 100-mile run, each representing a specific challenge that special-needs families face in order to bring awareness and create a more inclusive world.

There will be a celebratory party for the community to attend at the Breakthrough office once Astarita crosses the finish line with raffles, music, food and games. 

This is the third Run to Breakthrough fundraiser event. Back in 2021, Astarita ran 85 miles. In 2023, she ran 100 miles and raised over $25,000 for Long Island special-needs families.

All money raised for The Run to Breakthrough Inc. will provide many families on Long Island the opportunity to receive helpful life-changing resources that insurance does not cover.