Holland Caregiver And ALS Advocate Named 'Honorary Starter' For Newtown Library 5K

NEWTOWN BOROUGH, PA — Caitlin Bellina, a Northampton Township caregiver and advocate for the ALS community, has been named "Honorary Starter" for Saturday's Run For Reading 5K Race in Newtown Borough.

Caitlin will have the honor of sounding the horn to start Saturday morning's race through Newtown. The race is scheduled to step off at 9 a.m. at the Newtown Library Company on Centre Avenue.

“This year, the library chose to put the spotlight on one of our community's unsung heroes - the caregiver," said library board member Nancy Webster. "Catlin has transformed her role of a caregiver for husband, Matt, who is bravely battling ALS, into being a fierce advocate for the ALS community."

Since Matt’s ALS diagnosis in 2013, Caitlin has lobbied relentlessly to bring awareness to the devastating effects ALS has on the family.

Caitlin and Matt are first and foremost proud parents of their three very active boys - JP age 14, Kip age 12, and Pax age 8. While managing her husband’s care and the young families’ needs, Caitlin makes sure their family's life includes as many memorable moments as possible - moments that are filled with love and plenty of laughter.

Caitlin and Matt at the signing of the Right To Try bill in Washington, D.C.

When Caitlin and Matt realized there was a critical need for other ALS families to have accurate information to help prepare and navigate through the daily struggles, they started a blog called Tweed Thoughts. It shares their personal stories and struggles so that other ALS families don’t feel alone. It also provides recommended resources and much more.

After learning that terminally ill people were excluded from drug trials that were not yet FDA-approved to treat or possibly cure ALS, Caitlin joined Matt as an advocate for the “Right To Try” bill. With the support of an army of friends, families, politicians and community leaders, "Right To Try" became a federal law in 2018. It not only helps people with ALS, it helps adults and children with serious illnesses pursue promising treatments.

Jodi O’Donnell-Ames, author and founder of “Hope Loves Company,” a nationally recognized nonprofit that provides support, resources, and community to children who have or had a loved one with ALS, lost her own husband, Kevin, to ALS when she was a young mother.

“Caitlin is the epitome of a superwoman," says O'Donnell-Ames. "She handles her journey as a mom, caregiver, and wife, with enormous love and grace. She is also an athlete, master gardener and ALS advocate. There are so many reasons to appreciate and celebrate her and to learn from her as well!”

In honor of Caitlin’s contributions to the community, the library will be presenting her with a personalized 5K vest and a plaque. The library will also be dedicating three new books in Caitlin's honor and adding them to the library's collection to help children, families and caregivers in the community who are dealing with ALS.

All three books were written by Jodi O’Donnell-Ames. The titles include: "The Stars That Shine," "Someone I love has ALS," and "Hope Givers: Conversations and Stories of Hope."

Race Details

This year's "Run for Reading" 5K Run and Walk will hit the streets of Newtown on Saturday, October 4, for the benefit of the Newtown Library Company, the oldest operating library in historic Bucks County.

The 2025 race will begin and end at the Newtown Library Company, located at 114 E. Centre Avenue in Newtown Borough, and will kick off the 49th Annual Newtown Market Day hosted by the Newtown Historic Association.

The 5K is open to everyone, with discounted online pre-registration now available on Active.com. Pre-registration is $40 per individual. Individual race day registration is $45.

Packet pick-up and in-person race day registration will open at 8 a.m. The event will kick-off with a yoga warm-up with Elle Kaplan at 8:45 a.m. The race begins at 9 a.m., following a course through historic Newtown Borough and ending outside the library where booths and festivities will be set up for Newtown Market Day.