Lisa Zimmerman

Lisa Zimmerman is the creator of Carter’s Run for Dandy-Walker. Her oldest son, Carter, now 7, was diagnosed with the congenital brain abnormality at 7 months of age. In 2012, Lisa rallied a few girlfriends and Carter’s Run was born! Carter’s Run started off small; it always take place the third weekend in May at Ashburn Elementary School. It began as a 5K run/walk and Family Fun Fest. Back in 2012, Carter’s Run had 322 participants and raised $35,000 for the Dandy-Walker Alliance. Over the next two years, it grew to add a 10K and kid’s fun run. In 2014, there were 699 runners and walkers. and over the three years which it’s taken place so far, Carter’s Run has raised over $155,000. Lisa is so proud of the hard work of her small but mighty team, who tirelessly raises money for and awareness of the not-for-profit Dandy-Walker Alliance, a 501(c)(3) in Kensington, MD.

The Dandy-Walker Alliance was established in January of 2006. Over the last 9 years, the DW Alliance has supported countless families affected by Dandy-Walker, and is currently funding the largest exome sequencing project of DW samples ever conducted, at Seattle Children’s Hospital. The Alliance has also created a worldwide Dandy-Walker Patient Registry, which is helping to better understand the major health issues experienced by those with Dandy-Walker. With the success of Carter’s Run, progress continues to be made on these initiatives and this provides hope for a brighter future for those affected by Dandy-Walker.

Lisa and her husband, Doug, reside in Ashburn, VA with their three sons, Carter, Oliver (5) and Crosby (3) and their dog, Cooper.