Phoenix attorney to run 7 marathons in 7 days for charity

PHOENIX — A Phoenix attorney who was diagnosed with ulcerative colitis is taking on a huge challenge in 2020 to help those like him.

Jonathan Negretti, principal of Negretti & Associates, will attempt to run seven marathons on seven continents in seven days, starting Feb. 6.

He will be using his participation in the World Marathon Challenge to raise money for Heather’s Mission, a nonprofit created by his wife that supports people with Crohn’s disease and colitis.

Negretti was diagnosed 20 years ago and has had to live with an ostomy bag since most of his large intestine was removed.

“These diseases affect over 1.7 million Americans, and most, if not all, suffer in silence,” Negretti said in a video for the nonprofit.

“They don’t talk about it because it’s not glamorous. They just deal with it alone.”

Negretti’s goal is to raise enough money to donate 1,000 Awesome Ollie teddy bears, which have their own ostomy bags, to patients at Phoenix Children’s Hospital, Mayo Clinic and other local hospitals.

One bear will be donated for every $50 raised. As of Tuesday, there was enough money to buy 118 bears.