In addition to just the privilege of participating with the
Dana-Farber Marathon Challenge going into my 7th year, I have had
the grand opportunity to be more involved with the team over the past 3 years
as a member of the volunteer board, and for the past 2 years, serving as
vice-chair. This opportunity allows me
to delve deeper into the organization and really come to know the people and
the rewards the stem from this team each year.
A little bit about the team….the Dana-Farber Marathon
Challenge team is comprised of over 500 members
from all of the United States and many foreign countries. Our goal this year is $5.2 million, all of
which benefits the Claudia Adams Barr Program in Innovative Cancer Research at
the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute in Boston.
This will be the 26th running of the DFMC team in the Boston
Marathon, and over the years the team has raised over $65 million dollars for
research, which has translated into some groundbreaking discoveries. There are a number of treatments on the
market today that grew from the Barr Program research, funded by DFMC. There is a direct connection and that is what
draws me back to this team again and again.
One of the best parts of being involved with the board is having
the chance to attend the First Timers meeting, which for the 2015 season was
last night. It’s an informal gathering
of teammates who are joining DFMC for the first time this year, and the energy
among the 75+ runners in attendance was electric. In just brief conversations, I met a man
running in honor of his wife who spent much of this year being treated at DFCI
for colon cancer. I sat next to 2 women
who are themselves survivors and are running their first marathon and want to
give back to an organization that saved their lives. I spoke with a young adult who is running in
honor of her best friend and college roommate who was diagnosed with leukemia
and recently announced she was cancer free.
And others whose connection may not be a close but is still there. Everyone has a connection. Everyone is running for a personal
reason. Everyone has someone they know
touched by cancer.
For me, since about 10 years ago, cancer has been entirely
too close. The web of connections is
vast. Two sisters. One brother.
My dad. Both grandmothers. Three aunts.
Second cousins. And what feels
like a ridiculous amount for friends given that I am only in my early 40s. And friends of friends. And children of friends. And parents of friends. And DFMC teammates. It just shouldn’t be the case.
So, as you know, I run.
It’s what I can do. I’ve logged
thousands of miles over the past few years, but not nearly as many miles as
dollars have been contributed to help fund important cancer research. The running is just a means to a much bigger
end. I run for Dana-Farber because
everyone single cent goes directly into the laboratory and into the hands of
some of the most capable and innovative researchers in this country. So, I also ask of you to give as generously as
you can knowing that there are so many other needs out there to be filled
especially during this holiday time. The
dollars matter. Every single one of
them.
To make an online gift:
Be good. Be strong.
