Hi! I need your help. I'm taking part in 2023 Mass General Marathon Team...Fighting Kids’ Cancer, One Step at a Time to raise money for Massachusetts General Hospital.

In April of 2016, I ran the Boston Marathon for the first time. It was a bucket-list thing for me, and it was incredible. I trained hard, I ran smart, and I had the very best time. The weather was perfect and the day could not have gone better. So, everyone was surprised when I said I had no intention of doing it again. Why ruin a good thing, I thought. Well, seven years and three babies later, I'm doing it again. It may look different this time around; I may not have the time to train as well, I will surely be more distracted/emotional, and honestly, my body may not be as strong as it was years ago. But, this race will be one of the most special things I'll ever get to do.

As you may know, one of my boys was diagnosed with leukemia in April of 2021. The Team at MGH provided the most exceptional care for him, and for our whole family. He received a stem cell transplant in August of 2021 and has responded amazingly well, but the last couple of years haven't been easy. When we were quarantining for months after my son's transplant, the days at home with three kids under five were LONG, and getting back into running was what helped me work through a lot of the emotions I'd pushed aside during his treatment. I typically spent their nap time on my treadmill, dreaming of running down Boylston again, and often crying. Really, picture me in my basement, running alone, with tears falling down my face, as I imagine crossing the finish line again. I'm not sure if it's powerful, embarrassing, or both! Either way, I'm so excited to say the dream will soon become a reality!

If you can, please donate to my fundraising project on GivenGain! If you can't, spread awareness, donate blood, join the Be the Match registry, or help out a friend in need. Pediatric cancer is miserable, but together, we can make a difference!