This reflection was written by Marcel Thompkins, who ran the 129th Boston Marathon as a member of Team TargetCancer Foundation 2025.
Being a member of TargetCancer Foundation 2025’s Boston Marathon team was such an incredible and unforgettable experience. From the moment they accepted me onto their team, providing help and support every step of the way, all the way to the starting line on Hopkinton at the 2025 Boston Marathon, I was never lost in the process of both fundraising and Boston Marathon course training and logistics. They provided answers from traveling and physical training to fundraising ideas and hitting fundraising goals. The help was incredible.
One of the truly remarkable moments arrived when we met as a team for the first time at the finish line on Boylston Street. To see all the members of Team TCF together was very special. At that time, we had all trained, worked hard, fundraised, carried on with our daily lives, and the special connection that brought us together in the first place, cancer. Cancer has touched each one of us, either personally or with a close loved one. For me, it was my Mom. She lost her battle with cancer January 1st, 2024.
TCF took one of the worst moments of my life and helped make this experience one of the best of my life. It may sound trite, but they literally helped turn tragedy to triumph. To know that every step in training, every dollar raised, and every person that donated, the spirit of my mom was behind me, helping and guiding.
That’s the special connection that as a runner for TCF I felt as well; they helped, guided and let me know that the fundraising would help others through their darkest moments. That’s what TargetCancer Foundation is, the light in the dark. They helped me through such an experience and continue to help so many others that need it. There are so many amazing words that I can use for them, but the two that I used the most were “Thank You”.