Brian Sawyer

Running Boston Marathon for Cancer Research

UPDATE: My Dana-Farber Marathon Challenge fundraising page is ready to accept donations. Thanks in advance for your support!

Exactly two weeks ago today, I started a new training videoblog. Beyond moving all running-specific chatter away from my main personal site here, I had another specific purpose in mind, which I didn’t reveal at the time because my plan required acceptance of an application I’d filed on that same day. I received that acceptance today, and I’m excited to share the news with my followers here, in the hopes that you’ll also follow and support me over there.

First, a little background. Training for and running the San Francisco Marathon this year was incredibly important and rewarding for me, and the experience made me want to use a similar opportunity to do something even more important for others. I want to take on a challenge much bigger than anything I could accomplish solely for myself.

As you may also know, Kristina has participated in the Dana-Farber Marathon Challenge twice, and each time she inspired me by her commitment, passion, and success. Her athletic accomplishments inspired me to run San Francisco, and now that she’s not applying for DMFC herself this year, her charitable achievements have inspired me to carry the torch that she started. I have been truly moved by her work for DFMC, which has highlighted the research her contributions have funded. It’s an effort I want to be a part of myself.

So, I was thrilled and honored to be selected among many applicants to run the Boston Marathon in April to raise money for the Dana Farber Cancer Institute. Though I must raise at least $3,250 to support research that will help eradicate cancer, my personal goal will be significantly more ambitious.

The DFMC raises funds for the Claudia Adams Barr Program in Innovative Basic Cancer Research at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute. The DFMC directs 100% of funds raised to the Barr Program, which enables gifted young scientists at the leading edge of discovery to achieve better cure rates and to enhance patients’ quality of life.

I hope you will support my challenge by giving a gift to my run and, in doing so, help bring an end to the challenge of cancer. I haven’t been assigned a donations page yet, but I’ll post it to my sidebar and my About page as soon as I have it. Please consider following me there, as my training blog also begins to document my fundraising efforts for this cause that’s so much bigger than my own humble performance. Thanks in advance for any donation you’re able to make, and I look forward to seeing you around there soon (or, actually, you seeing me around there, I suppose). I truly appreciate your support.