On April 21st, the twelve members of Team TargetCancer Foundation 2025 will tackle the 129th Boston Marathon® presented by Bank of America. The team has spent six months preparing for this iconic race, loggings hundreds of miles while training throughout difficult winter conditions. Additionally, they have each dedicated time to fundraising and raising awareness about rare cancers and TCF. Each member of the team has personal, meaningful reasons as to why they chose to tackle this life-changing challenge. Read their answers to the questions of why they are running the Boston Marathon, and why they wanted to represent TargetCancer Foundation while doing so.
Brendan Carey
I run in honor of my father, who passed away in 2017 from cholangiocarcinoma. He lived life vibrantly and with kindness – two attributes I see everywhere on Marathon Monday.
Anna Clark
I’m honored to run in memory of my mother, who passed away from appendix cancer last year. She embodied strength in all she did, and I run to carry on her legacy and to help give other families more time together in the battle against rare cancers like hers. Because of that, it is so meaningful for me to get to contribute to TargetCancer Foundation and the rare cancer research initiatives it drives. I can’t wait to run the Boston Marathon with my mom’s memory in mind to support this great cause.
Cody Cotner
I’m running the Boston Marathon to support patients and their families facing rare cancers—because I’ve been in their shoes. I was diagnosed with cancer in college, and thanks to research and care, mine is now curable, and I am 10 years out from treatment. As a future oncologist, I want to give others the same hope.
Matthew Hazard
“I run to not only motivate myself to fight cancer, but to inspire others to fight as well. I truly believe that running has saved my life since being diagnosed with Stage IV Colorectal cancer in June of 2024. It has been my way of putting up the best fight I can. And now I am so excited to run alongside TargetCancer Foundation and our teammates to inspire others, and to raise money and awareness for an amazing cause!”
Regan Herald
I’m running to support TargetCancer Foundation’s mission to empower those with rare cancers and their communities to be knowledgeable advocates able to make informed care decisions. TCF’s work to advance rare cancer research and treatment is essential in helping those with rare cancers have opportunities for effective and personalized treatment plans.
Spencer Lindsay
I run to continue the legacy of my late brother, Matt, and carry his memory forward by supporting TargetCancer so that someday a future family does not lose a member to rare cancer.
Madison Livermore
I run for my fiancé Tyler, who lost his dad to rare cancer when he was just five, and for our daughter Ella, whose infectious joy reminds me every day what really matters. I run for families who face the difficulty of a rare cancer diagnosis and for hope that a real difference can be made. I run for my little family – Tyler, Ella, and I have taken on this journey together, and I am so grateful for their support. I’m running to spread awareness for the amazing work TargetCancer does to provide research and resources for rare cancer patients.
Amanda Melillo
Joining TargetCancer Foundation’s team allows me to combine two of my passions—running and research. Having lost both of my parents to understudied diseases, I am deeply committed to advancing research. I know firsthand how transformative this type of work can be for families, and it motivates me to help make a real difference.
Iesha Pankey
I run because I can. I run because 13 years ago, I didn’t prioritize wellness until the diagnosis of a rare auto-immune disease. After that, I started running to find some normalcy in something I can control and that was moving my body. I found that it started to bring me mental peace and it calmed me. 13 years ago, this month, my life changed forever. What I thought was working against me, introduced me to running which saved me. Movement is medicine!
I actually set out to run my first marathon to prove that I could do it in spite of having an illness. My first was London on my 34th birthday in 2019. Six years later it’s Boston, weeks from celebrating my 40th birthday.
Support Iesha’s CampaignDanielle Spence
I run to honor the memory of my mother and to raise funds to support cancer-related charities. Following her passing at the end of 2022, I channeled my grief into a purposeful challenge and a mission of hope. I set out to complete all six Abbott World Marathon Majors within 24 months; raise $24,000 CAD for cancer research; and achieve a cumulative running time of under 24 hours. My Abbott Six journey culminates this spring when I run the Boston Marathon with TargetCancer Foundation!
Each stride represents not only a tribute to my mother’s legacy but also a commitment to advancing the fight against cancer and improving the lives of those affected by it.
Support Danielle’s CampaignPium Supasap
Running has become more than just a sport for me – it is a way to honor my mother’s memory, channel my grief, and give back. My father, after losing my mother, embarked on a 900KM charity run across Thailand to raise awareness about Multiple myeloma cancer. That journey inspired me to use running as a force for change.
Now, I am running for Team TCF to raise funds that will directly support innovative cancer research and help patients battling rare cancers. This cause is deeply personal, and I am beyond excited and hopeful to make an impact by contributing to the fight against this disease along with my teammates.
Support Pium’s CampaignMarcel Thompkins
“I’m running in honor and memory of my Mom who passed from cancer on January 1st, 2024. Running for the TargetCancer Foundation team has been a truly joyous and rewarding experience. Knowing that every dollar that’s raised and every step taken on this path goes directly into cancer research is so encouraging. Helping those in their time of greatest need calls out to me as a member of Team TCF and as a firefighter.”