Happy New Year! I hope this message finds you well and looking forward to 2017 with great hope.
I
was reminded this morning via Facebook of a quote I shared 3 years ago,
and after a great long training run with friends followed by much
needed time spent cleaning and purging closets at home, I am ready to
look towards the New Year and my 9th year running to raise funds for
innovative cancer research.
"What grief is, is a form of love, but with the loved one gone. So the work of grief is to find a new form for that love, to find a new expression for it, a new commitment, a way to honor that love." -John Woodall
"What grief is, is a form of love, but with the loved one gone. So the work of grief is to find a new form for that love, to find a new expression for it, a new commitment, a way to honor that love." -John Woodall
In
the fall of 2008, I applied to run the Boston Marathon to raise money
for research at the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute. My sister, Molly, had
passed away in February and less than a month later, my brother
experienced a recurrence of the brain tumor that had been clear for over
6 years. At the same time, my sister, Mary, was in the midst of
ongoing treatment and follow-up for metastatic melanoma. I was
searching to find an expression of the love I hold for my family, and I
found a way to honor them by participating with the Dana-Farber Marathon
Challenge team.
Over
the past 9 years, we [our incredibly generous and supportive network of
family and friends] have gifted over $300,000 to the brilliant
scientists in the labs at Dana-Farber who are completing innovative and
life-changing research that will change the future of cancer. When I
first signed up, I never could have expected such a outpouring over the
years, but I also never dreamed of losing 3 siblings in 3 years to
cancer. Every single dollar of every single donation over the years has
gone directly into the labs, and that has an impact of which we should
all be very proud as this effort is truly one of many people coming
together.
While
great work has been done and cancer care has made incredible strides in
the past 9 years, there is still work to be done. There are many
survivors around us who have benefited from these advances, yet there
are families every day who get news of a new or recurring diagnosis.
There are miles to be run, dollars to be raised, ideas to be tested, and
new treatments to be discovered.
And
so again, I humbly ask for your support as I continue my training
towards April 17 and the 2017 Boston Marathon. I've set my goal higher
than it's ever been at $50,000, because I believe these dollars to be
vital and imperative to funding critical scientific studies at
Dana-Farber. And I believe we can reach that goal. To make an online
gift, please visit www.runDFMC.org/2017/jennies or if you prefer, you can send a check payable to DFMC to me at home
(let me know if you need my address). Please let me know if there is
someone I can honor for you as I run.
It
is because of you all that I am inspired to keep running. I don't know
how long these legs will be able to run, but I know my heart won't give
up on finding a cure. The cost for so many is too great. It's for all
of us that I run. I wish you all happiness, health and much laughter
in the New Year. Thank you so very much for your continued generosity
and support. be good. be strong.
With gratitude,
Jennie
http://www.rundfmc.org/faf/
No comments:
Post a Comment