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Son pledges to complete Boston Marathon® route twice to cure cancer
On a typical Monday, Ryan Marsh can be found at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute sitting alongside his mother, who has been undergoing cancer treatment for triple-negative breast cancer.
“On one of our more recent trips, my mom and I counted that we’ve probably been to Dana-Farber nearly 100 times in the last three years. We spend most Mondays trying to battle this disease, alongside many others on a similar and all too familiar path. All of the faces we see in the hallway remind us that we are all in this together,” says Ryan.
Inspired by his mother and the memory of all those impacted by cancer, Ryan has dedicated the better part of the last year to fundraising for Dana-Farber. On Monday, April 17, 2017 he ran 26.2 miles as a part of the Dana-Farber Marathon Challenge team to raise money for cancer research. This September, he will walk along the same course as a participant in the Boston Marathon® Jimmy Fund Walk presented by Hyundai, again raising funds for Dana-Farber and the Jimmy Fund’s mission to conquer cancer.
“Three years ago, I sat with my mom as they told her ‘although we may not be able to cure your cancer, we are going to do everything we can to treat it.’ It was not a fun moment for us, but somehow we felt comfort in knowing we were sitting in the office of the best doctor, inside the best hospital in the world,” says Ryan. “Since then, Dana-Farber has given my family opportunity and options. Every Monday, I ride the elevator with children and adults trying to distract themselves from the trials and tribulations of a cancer diagnosis. I run and walk for these families.”
For Ryan, participating in the Boston Marathon® Jimmy Fund Walk has been an emotional experience, one that initially inspired him to apply for the Dana-Farber Marathon Challenge team. While this was Ryan’s first year running the Marathon, he has walked the course many times as a dedicated Boston Marathon® Jimmy Fund Walk participant.
“My mom got to cheer me on as I ran the course in April because of Dana-Farber and I am looking forward to taking on the challenge of 26.2 miles again in September at the Jimmy Fund Walk,” explains Ryan. “Each year, my team takes bets on how many times we cry as we walk the Boston Marathon® route. It is an emotional and fulfilling day.”
Take steps to conquer cancer at the Boston Marathon® Jimmy Fund Walk presented by Hyundai on Sunday, September 24 and raise money to support patients at Dana-Farber like Ryan Marsh’s mother.
Erica Equi
Assistant Director of Social Media, Online Marketing
