Like many of you and my fellow runners, my family has been impacted by cancer too many times. In our case a mutation in the SMAD-4 gene leads to stomach cancer. My father died of stomach cancer at age 60, my younger brother died of the same disease at 59, and my sisters have dealt bravely with the impact of the gene, enduring multiple surgeries and bouts of chemo to ward off the constant threat. While I am very fortunate to not have the mutation, my husband and I have made supporting cancer research a top priority of ours.
So, at age 65 I have decided to run my first ever marathon to raise money for Dana Farber! I am not a long-distance runner, nor even an athlete; in fact I have never done anything like this before. I am lucky to be coached by my daughter, encouraged by my husband and son, and supported by many friends. I am eager to give it my best effort, and grateful for the Dana Farber Marathon Challenge team for giving me this chance. Please consider a donation to Dana Farber to support my run and fight cancer. Thank you!
