In 2019, I ran my first marathon as part of the Dana Farber team and raised over twenty thousand dollars toward research at DFCI. On Marathon Monday 5 years ago, I ran in memory of my cousin Anthony, who we lost to acute lymphoblastic leukemia at the age of 11. I carried the names of numerous other loved ones with me for 26.2 miles - both those who have died and those who remain engaged in a fight against cancer.
I thought I was a “one and done” marathoner but I’m asking for your support again this year; - running because cancer continues to hit too close to home. I lost my Uncle Mike to stage 4 lung cancer in August of 2022. He was one of my heroes - and I miss him every day. During his treatment, I visited Dana Farber with him and my aunt. I saw once again the resources they make available to their patients, the knowledgeable clinicians and the state of the art facilities. One year later, we received word that my father, John, was experiencing a recurrence of his cancer. During his initial diagnosis he consulted with physician experts in the field at DFCI. He is currently undergoing treatment with the MGH Cancer Center and he hopes to receive immunotherapy that was developed by research at Dana Farber.
Since my first marathon, I have added an important cheerleader to my support team. I am running for my daughter too - to show her that moms can do amazing things, that it’s important to contribute to causes you believe in, and so she might grow up in a world where cancer is a memory.
The support generated through their running programs ensures the continuation of the work that DFCI has done EVERY DAY for EVERY PATIENT for the last 25+ years. One hundred percent of every dollar raised by the Dana Farber Marathon Challenge team supports the Claudia Adams Barr Program in Innovative Basic Cancer Research at the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute. These funds are fueling some of today's most promising basic cancer research. I appreciate your support - for me, for Anthony, for Uncle Mike, for Papa and for Maggie.
