Anna's Fundraising Page

Running for My Mother: Honoring a Life Lost to Brain Cancer

On April 21st 2025, I will be running the Boston Marathon in memory my mother, Patrice Harrington, who passed away from a rare form of brain cancer. It is a way to keep her memory alive and to continue the fight against a disease that stole her from us too soon.

My mom was a constant source of love, strength, and guidance. When she was diagnosed with brain cancer, our world changed forever. Watching her battle with such courage and dignity was both inspiring and heartbreaking. Despite her illness, she never lost her spirit. I will never forget coming home from school and hearing her listening to Eminem to stay strong, or at the end of her illness when her doctors asked if she wanted to give up treatment because the prognosis was poor, but she continued to fight until the very end. Her strength is something I carry with me every day.

The Boston Marathon is something I have wanted to do since I was little and remember high-fiving all of the runners as a kid hoping that one day I would be in their place. More importantly, it's a chance to raise awareness and funds for brain cancer research, and for Dana Farber, who provided amazing care for my mother, so that future families don’t have to endure what we did.

Brain cancer is one of the deadliest and least-funded types of cancer, and it's crucial that we come together to support research that could lead to better treatments, earlier detection, and ultimately a cure. One hundred percent of every dollar raised by the DFMC team supports the Claudia Adams Barr Program in Innovative Basic Cancer Research at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute. These funds are fueling some of today's most promising basic cancer research.

I’m running not only for my mom, but for everyone whose life has been touched by cancer. Your donation, no matter the size, will help make a difference in the fight against this disease and give hope to those who are still fighting.

Please join me in this journey. Together, we're headed toward the ultimate finish line: a world without cancer.