10 years. 10 years ago
around this time was the beginning of what would become 3 of the most impactful
and difficult years of my life. Most of
you know that Molly, Mary and John, three of my siblings, lost their lives to
cancer in a three year period, and it began in 2008. The years leading up to February
of 2008 were certainly a challenge as each of them endured many treatments and
surgeries, but that month is when things shattered as cancer became too much
for Molly’s body to endure. Just one
year later, John succumbed to the disease almost 10 years after he was first
diagnosed and less than two years later, after enduring more than any of us
could probably take, Mary also lost her life.
It was devastating.
Our family has spent 10 years learning to adjust and heal to the
greatest extent possible after such enormous loss, and one of the ways has been
through my participation with the Dana-Farber Marathon Challenge team. Our support
of funding important research has been a family effort that has exceeded all
expectations, not just in how successfully we’ve raised funds for innovative research
but in how so many people have come together in support and with incredible
kindness that has ultimately helped us all through very difficult years. It’s been an effort that has provided hope
and comfort. It would be impossible to
truly express the thanks you all deserve for the support and kindness and
generosity you have shown. |
| Year 1: 2009 |
For those who have been involved with effort, you may realize that
I’m a little late in kicking off my Dana-Farber Marathon Challenge fundraising
this year. I’ve been doing a lot of
thinking about my participation on this team after 10 years and what the future
looks like. After much deliberation, I’ve decided that
after my 10th Boston Marathon on April 16 this year, I am going into
retirement. It’s not been a quick and
easy decision for me. Am I giving
up? Have I done enough? I feel some guilt and a little fear as this
has been so therapeutic and so meaningful. It's provided me with purpose
and an outlet for grief. But it's also been heavy. There are so many still to run for but I have
decided it’s time to turn the page to a new chapter, to find new ways to
support and fight. The needs are big, and I'm not walking away but ready
to take on new challenges in our effort to find a cure, and am excited to see what
is next.
My goal this year is set at $50,000. If we meet that goal this
year, it will bring the total over 10 years to over $415,000 which is simply a
ginormous amount of money that has already been put to great use in the
laboratories at Dana-Farber. The money
raised through the gifts you all have made over the years is changing the
future of cancer and I’m so proud to see the life-saving advances that have continued
to flow from the brilliant research conducted by the Barr Program recipients. As you know, 100% of every gift goes directly
to research. I’d love to “retire” with
the most successful year yet so I humbly ask once again that you consider a
gift as generously as your means allow continuing the work at Dana-Farber so no
families experience the untimely and unnecessary loss of those they love to
cancer.
You can make a donation online at www.runDFMC.org/2018/jennies or
can send a check payable to Dana-Farber Marathon Challenge to me at home (let me know if you need the address).
While a new chapter is ahead, my goal for the end of the story is still the same: successful treatment for cancer and increased support of patients and their families to ease the burden a diagnosis brings. Let's do this one more time.
My sincerest gratitude for your kindness and generosity.
be good. be strong.
