The Founders - Strolling for Don Legere

We're Fundraising to Cure Scleroderma!

Thank you for visiting my Team Fundraising page in support of our 10^th Annual Stroll for Scleroderma. We are The Founders – The family of Don Legere, husband to Cathy, father to Mike, Andrea, Nick, and myself – Maria. 

For 10 years, our fundraiser walk has brought our community together with one shared goal; supporting those affected by scleroderma. We are honored and excited to celebrate this 10-year milestone with you. 

As many of you know, my family and I started this walk in 2017 in honor of my dad, Don Legere, who has been living with Systemic Scleroderma since 2007. He received a stem-cell transplant as part of a trial study in 2015, which we believe slowed the progression of his disease. There is still no known cure for Scleroderma, so dad is on chemo for the remainder of his life. He struggles daily with the effects of the autoimmune disease, as well as the other diseases it has brought on, such as Interstitial Lung Disease, Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension, and Raynaud’s Syndrome. 

There are many families who are not as fortunate as we are. Over the years since we've been a part of the Scleroderma community, my parents have said goodbye to many friends who suffered with scleroderma. Our goal with this Stroll is to come together to honor all the people and families who are affected by this disease, and to raise money in hopes to find a cause and a cure for Scleroderma in their lifetime.

Thanks to many of you, our event grows every year! In the last 9 years combined we have raised over $170,000, all of which went to Scleroderma Foundation to help raise awareness and find a cure. We could not have done this without you! Thank you for your continued love and support! 

To make a donation, click “Donate” and complete the form. Every gift, no matter the size, directly supports the National Scleroderma Foundation’s mission.

To join our walk, click “Join Us” to sign up and help us raise funds and awareness together on June 13th! We’d LOVE to see you there!

We deeply appreciate your generosity and encouragement. Please consider sharing this page with friends and family who may also want to support. Together, we can raise awareness, support those living with scleroderma, and bring us one step closer to finding a cure.

With Love and Gratitude: 

The FOUNDERS: 
Don & Cathy Legere
Maria & Jacek Bartoszewicki (Lexi, Ella & Max)
Mike & Andrea Mahoney (Renzo, Ayla)
Mike & Robin Legere (Louisa)
Nick & Halley Legere (Liam)

How Don Legere is Doing Now:
Dad’s health continues to decline. Since March of 2025, dad has been in the process of testing for a lung transplant. In January of 2026, he was relieved to receive approval from Temple University Hospital. He and mom packed their bags immediately, and relocated to Philadelphia to be closer to the Hospital and higher on the transplant list. My parents are enjoying their time and adventures living in a new place while they wait for the call. We are optimistic about the transplant, and we pray daily for a successful transplant journey.

About Scleroderma
Scleroderma is a chronic, autoimmune disease. There is no known cause and no known cure YET. The immune system in a patient attacks its own body. Scleroderma means “hard skin”. However, the disease causes serious damage to internal organs including the lungs, heart and gastrointestinal tract. There are some medications which can ease some symptoms but there is NO cure.

June is Scleroderma Awareness month. My family and the Scleroderma Foundation are grateful for those who help raise awareness and funds to support research and create hope for scleroderma patients and their families.