The annual “Miles of Hope” Turkey Trot returned to Verona Park on Saturday, Nov. 24 to raise money for a Verona child suffering from a rare, fatal disease. 

Team Zoey is a chapter of the Progeria Research Foundation, which seeks to develop treatments and find a cure for the progeria, a disease that causes rapid aging at about seven to 10 times the normal rate in children.

Zoey Penny was diagnosed at five months and her family has been working to find a cure ever since. 

The organization held the event “to raise awareness of Progeria, an extremely rare fatal genetic disease that affects children by causing them to rapidly age in their skin, bones, as well as in general health,” members of Team Zoey said. “All proceeds will go to helping find a cure for Progeria.”