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Team 26 - Fight for A PKD Cure

@team26_pkd

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Join us! Fight for a Cure for PKD!
Founded by former pro athlete & Team USA Alum & current PKD Warrior, @ravslax26 supporting @pkdfoundation

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Enough Said. #EndPKD by @team26_pkd

Come walk with Team 26, a team dedicated to making a difference in the PKD Community, fighting to cure this insidious disease. Join us on September 20th, 2025 at Rockland Lake State Park and walk for a better future for all those affected by Polycystic Kidney Disease.

Polycystic kidney disease (PKD) is a devastating disease, affecting 600,000 people nationwide and currently, there is no cure. When you donate to the Walk for PKD, your support goes towards research to help those impacted by this disease. Every dollar counts – so please consider donating today.

HUDSON VALLEY WALK FOR PKD 2025
September 20, 2025  9:00 AM (EDT)
Rockland Lake State Park (Parking Field 1)
299 Rockland Lake Road
Valley Cottage, NY 10989
Team 26 Donation Page: https://support.pkdcure.org/team/763497

#WalkforPKD #PKDWarrior #EndPKD #Team26PKD by @team26_pkd

Welcome to Team 26! Come join our fight against Polycystic Kidney Disease! Founded by Rachel Vallarelli, a former professional athlete and current #PKD Warrior. #WalkforPKD #EndPKD #Team26PKD by @team26_pkd

There are some places in life that become more than a destination—they become part of your story.

I am incredibly honored and humbled to be recognized as a 2026 Lake Placid Legend, receiving the Jim Muhlfelder Award at the Lake Placid Summit Lacrosse Classic.

Lake Placid has been my lacrosse home away from home since 2012. This tournament has shaped me not only as an athlete, but as a coach, mentor, and person.

To now be recognized alongside so many individuals who have helped grow our game is something I never imagined.

This honor means even more knowing the journey it represents. From being told as a child with Polycystic Kidney Disease (PKD) that contact sports weren’t in my future, to wearing the Team USA jersey, competing professionally in both the men’s and women’s game, coaching at every NCAA level, building RV Lacrosse, and advocating for others living with PKD—every challenge has reinforced one lesson:

Your circumstances do not define your potential. Your response to them does.

Thank you to the Lake Placid Summit Classic, the Legends Committee, my family, teammates, coaches, players, and everyone who has believed in me throughout this journey. Your support has allowed me to chase dreams that once seemed impossible.

Most importantly, thank you to every young athlete I’ve had the privilege of coaching. I hope this serves as a reminder that barriers are meant to be challenged, dreams are worth pursuing, and your impact on others will always be your greatest legacy.

Lake Placid will always hold a special place in my heart, and I am forever grateful to now be part of its legacy.

Here’s to continuing to Power Performance & Deliver Dreams—both on and off the field.

💙🏔️🥍

#LakePlacidLegends #JimMuhlfelderAward #LakePlacidSummitClassic #RVLacrosse #PoweringPerformanceDeliveringDreams by @team26_pkd

I’m honored to be speaking at #PKDCON2026 during the General Session, Living with Purpose Through the PKD Journey.

PKD has shaped many parts of my life, bringing challenges, uncertainty, and moments that tested my resilience. But it has also connected me to an incredible community, strengthened my perspective, and inspired me to find purpose in sharing my story with others walking a similar path.

At PKDCON, I’ll be sharing my personal PKD journey—the lessons I’ve learned, the obstacles I’ve faced, and the hope I’ve found along the way. My story is one of perseverance, support, advocacy, and the belief that even in the midst of a chronic disease, we can continue to build meaningful and fulfilling lives.

I’m grateful for the opportunity to stand alongside fellow members of the PKD community and share our experiences. I hope our stories will encourage others, foster connection, and remind everyone affected by PKD that they are not alone.

I look forward to seeing you in Chicago and celebrating the strength, courage, and resilience of this amazing community.

#PKDCON2026 #PKD #PKDFoundation #LivingWithPurpose by @team26_pkd

Honoring the courage, sacrifice, and selflessness of the men and women who gave their lives in service to our country. 🇺🇸
Memorial Day is more than a long weekend — it’s a time to remember those who made the ultimate sacrifice so we can enjoy the freedoms we often take for granted.

Today, we pause to reflect, remember, and express gratitude to our fallen heroes and the families who continue to carry their legacy.

Wishing everyone a meaningful and safe Memorial Day. ❤️🤍💙

#MemorialDay #HonorAndRemember #ThankYouForYourService #NeverForgotten #USA #Gratitude by @team26_pkd

🚨 IT’S OFFICIAL 🚨
The RV Lacrosse & Enterprises Podcast is LIVE. 🎙️🔥

This podcast is about more than sports.
It’s about breaking barriers.
It’s about leadership.
It’s about resilience.
It’s about entrepreneurship, advocacy, mindset, and what it truly takes to chase greatness — on and off the field.

As a Team USA athlete, educator, entrepreneur, coach, and one of the first women to compete in multiple men’s professional lacrosse leagues, I’ve learned that success is built through adversity, purpose, and refusing to let others define your limits.

Now, I’m bringing those conversations directly to you.

We’ll talk with athletes, coaches, business leaders, educators, creators, and changemakers who are redefining what’s possible.

If you’re looking for motivation, inspiration, leadership insights, or real conversations that challenge the norm — this is for you.
🎧 Listen now on Spotify: RV Lacrosse & Enterprises Podcast (https://open.spotify.com/show/1iGs4eWZd5J2kPV0oZc1PS?si=bqMsoBWtTQ6XXcMbs-KwbA&utm_source=chatgpt.com)
https://open.spotify.com/show/1iGs4eWZd5J2kPV0oZc1PS?si=bqMsoBWtTQ6XXcMbs-KwbA

Powering Performance and Delivering Dreams. 💥

#RVLacrosse #PoweringPerformanceDeliveringDreams #Podcast #SportsBusiness #WomenInSports by @team26_pkd

Happy Mother’s Day!!! by @team26_pkd

Most people never have to think about kidney failure.

But for those of us living with polycystic kidney disease (PKD), it’s something we carry with us every single day.

Over the next two days, I’ll have the honor of speaking with Members of Congress — both in person on Capitol Hill and virtually — alongside fellow PKD Advocacy Champions. Together, we’ll be sharing our stories and advocating for policies that directly impact the lives of millions of people living with PKD.

This advocacy is deeply personal to me.

Living with PKD means navigating uncertainty about kidney function, treatments, and the possibility of transplant long before most people ever have to consider it. But it also means refusing to stay silent about a disease that affects so many families.

We are advocating for increased medical research funding, stronger protections for living kidney donors, and policies that ensure patients are supported — not overlooked.

Because when lawmakers hear our stories, the statistics become real people.
And when patients speak up, change becomes possible.

Grateful to stand alongside such an incredible community of advocates who continue to fight for better treatments, stronger protections, and ultimately a cure.

This is why advocacy matters.
This is why we show up.
This is why we keep fighting.

#PKDAdvocacy #Team26 #PKD #AdvocacyMatters by @team26_pkd

Next week I am so grateful to have the opportunity to go to DC and speak on The Hill to our Congressmen and Congresswomen as a State Leader and PKD Advocacy Champion, to advocate for change for those battling PKD - aka Polycystic Kidney Disease. Here are some of the things we are fighting for.

#Team26 #PKD #PKDFoundation by @team26_pkd

Thrilled to share that I’ve been selected to join the Sports Business Journal Leaders Club – New York Cohort!

I’m incredibly excited for the opportunity to connect with and learn from such a talented group of professionals across the sports industry. Being part of a community that values leadership, innovation, and collaboration is something I truly look forward to, and I’m eager to continue growing both personally and professionally in the sports world.

I’m especially excited to bring my background in sport management, along with my experience as a business owner, coach, educator, and professional athlete. From building and leading a mission-driven sports organization to working across coaching, media, and nonprofit spaces, I look forward to contributing a perspective that blends leadership, athlete development, education, and entrepreneurship.

Huge thank you to Reyes Miranda and the SBJ team for this amazing opportunity. Grateful to be in this space and excited for what’s ahead! by @team26_pkd

So grateful to the @pkdfoundation for sharing my story in PKD Life Magazine! It’s been a long time coming for me to share my story and go more public. I am also very grateful to be a part of the PKD Advocacy Network, as we work to build an understanding of the disease and all of those it affects.

If you are able, please donate to the PKD Foundation and learn more so that we can all join in the fight to end this insidious disease. by @team26_pkd