Cancer has impacted my life for the last 30 years, following the diagnosis and death of my mother, Charlene when she was 53. And, as you may know, I lost both my dad and my beloved younger sister Kara to cancer this year. I am running the Boston Marathon next year in their honor and to raise money for the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute. Dana-Farber is renowned for its blending of research and clinical excellence, with more than 1,200 clinical trials annually that speed lifesaving treatments to patients worldwide. As recently as November 2002, the FDA gave accelerated approval to a new medication (Elahere) based on a worldwide clinical trial led by DFCI. That therapy resulted in substantially better responses than standard treatments.
Kara often used the phrase, “hard things are hard.” Running a marathon is hard; cancer is hard; cancer research and treatment are hard. She also told her children every day to “share your joy.” Memories of my mom, my dad, and Kara bring me joy; treatments that work bring me joy; running the Boston Marathon with your help, knowing that every dollar raised supports cancer research and vital treatment, would be a joy.
As many of you know, I have been a runner for years and have been fortunate to run the Boston Marathon several times. Running has brought me serenity, solace, and community. I love that this is a chance to combine my love of running with raising money to help people diagnosed with cancer. It is important to me that all the money, 100% of every dollar raised, goes directly to cancer research.
Thank you so much for reading this. I am so grateful for your thoughts, prayers, and financial support.
