MEET KAILEY!

For most of my life, I was forced to stay inside. With a diagnosis of erythropoietic protoporphyria (EPP), a rare genetic disorder that causes extreme sunlight sensitivity - any more than 15 minutes in the sun produces intense burning pain, tissue swelling, and severe itching. Spending time outside was something I had to carefully avoid. My life completely changed five years ago when I began participating in a clinical drug study that has allowed me to safely spend time outdoors for the first time. I started running simply because I finally could, and I quickly fell in love with it! Being able to run outdoors still feels like a gift I do not take for granted. Running the New York City Marathon is especially meaningful because it represents how far medical progress has brought me, and it would allow me to turn something personal into something that supports others by raising funds for Therapists Beyond Borders and expanding access to rehabilitation services around the world.

I work as an occupational therapist and currently work in inpatient rehabilitation for adults with neurological and orthopedic conditions. I love my career and see every day how meaningful access to therapy can be in helping individuals regain independence and return to the activities that matter most to them. I am grateful for the role that Therapists Beyond Borders plays in expanding access to these services in communities where rehabilitation resources are limited. As an occupational therapist, I am honored to run the New York City Marathon to support the mission of increasing access to therapy and empowering individuals around the world to regain independence and improve their quality of life.

ABOUT THERAPISTS BEYOND BORDERS

Therapists Beyond Borders is an international nonprofit organization whose mission is to empower individuals with disabilities around the world through community-based training programs related to physical, occupational, and speech therapy.

Disability legislation and rehabilitation programs are commonly under-resourced around the world. As a result, millions of people who require therapy do not receive adequate treatment. Our goal: extend education surrounding disability and provide therapeutic skills training to individuals with disabilities, families, caregivers, and local therapists in countries with underfunded healthcare systems.

Our focus is to foster self-sustaining, locally run therapy programs that build community capacity to provide skillful care for their most vulnerable members. Our vision is a world where individuals of all abilities can reach their own unique potential, and where all communities, despite the unequal distribution of global resources, still have the capacity to care for their own.

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Kailey Gentry: Therapists Beyond Borders X NYC Marathon 2026

It Will Move You