IHO

IHO = In Honor Of

In a mere handful of days, I'll don my sassy orange and green DFMC singlet and line up in Hopkinton with 26,000 other runners. Each and every one of us has different reasons and inspirations for running. Dana-Farber helps its runners highlight the people who have inspired them by giving out "In Honor Of" cards - a way for runners to celebrate those adults and kids who have undergone treatment and in whose honor we run.

I decorated ten cards for ten special people. There are many more who will guide my way, including and especially those in whose honor and memory my donors have contributed, but these ten names will be added to the hundreds of others that fellow DFMCers have created. No one signs up to get cancer, and none of these people asked to be an inspiration. They simply attacked cancer with all they had, with the support of their friends and family, and with hopes and prayers that they would make it through. And that makes them an inspiration for me.

One person whose family continues to honor her today by participating in the Marathon Challenge's In Memory program is Jennifer Kennedy. Jenn passed away four days after her 16th birthday, after an 18 month battle with Osteosarcoma. Jenn left quite an impact on Dana-Farber during her treatment, even charming Jason Varitek and helping to inspire his Tek's 33s program where he brings Children's Hospital patients to a Sox game.

I am fortunate to be partnered with Jenn's family and to be able to run in her memory. And it gave me a tremendous feeling of pride to work for Dana-Farber as Jenn's dad described her experience there, and when he said that the treatment she received was "second to none."

So for Jenn, my nine other IHOs (JGB, Papa, KD, MN, MC, SB, IM, Kira, & MS), and everyone that my donors and supporters are honoring as well, these 26.2 miles are for you.