Support Emma's Boston Marathon Dream

Emma is excited to be running in the Boston Marathon this spring and I would like to help her raise money so that she doesn't have to pay for her registration, travel, and lodging costs by herself. Read her story below!

If she reaches the initial goal, she will use any extra money to defeat the costs of her immediate family going to see her run.

From Emma's charity donation page:

Cancer.

It’s strange how one word can evoke such strong feelings.

Anger. Frustration. Helplessness.

Throughout the past year, I’ve cycled through these and more as my family has grappled with my dad’s stage four esophageal cancer diagnosis.

My dad means the absolute world to me. I owe so much of who I am today to the love and unwavering support he’s always shown me.

From as early as I can remember, we bonded over time spent in the backyard, him encouraging me to try any sport we could get our hands on. Our evenings after dinner were spent outside, with him challenging me to hit whiffle balls over the neighbor’s fenceline, learning how to throw a football with a spiral, or using cardboard boxes as street hockey goals in the driveway. When I entered third grade, his encouragement only grew as I transitioned from our backyard games to playing on a travel soccer team. He rarely missed a practice or game, his presence on the sideline being a given, regardless of how far the drive.

When I ran track my freshman year of high school, I quickly realized that running was something far more special than a means to stay in shape for soccer. I felt like I had found my calling. I decided to run cross country the following season, expecting my dad to be disappointed after all of the years we had invested in playing soccer. Instead, he embraced my newfound passion, rearranging his work schedule to be at every meet in time for the starting gun to go off.

Even after I graduated high school and began training individually for half-marathon road and trail races, he still showed up whenever he could. To this day, I can count on one hand how many races he wasn’t at the finish line. For those he missed, his number was the first one I called to give a full race recap to. Beyond my personal running over the years, my dad has always joined me in watching the big televised races, whether it be the NCAA cross country championships, the Olympics, or my personal favorite, the Boston Marathon.

Arguably one of the biggest races in the sport of marathon running, Boston has always been something that I’ve aspired to complete one day far in the future. I’ve talked about this dream with my dad countless times, never imagining the possibility that he wouldn’t be there to cheer me on. That was until his diagnosis flipped our world upside down.

The truth is that tomorrow isn’t guaranteed. If there’s anything that my family has learned over the past year’s rollercoaster ride of emotions, medical bills, and my dad’s ongoing treatment, it’s that every moment counts. I decided that I wanted to do something to show my dad how much I love him, thank him for his unwavering support of me, and give him something to look forward to when reality feels so heavy.

That’s why I am incredibly honored to be selected as a runner for the Cam Neely Foundation’s 2025 Boston Marathon team.

When I decided to chase my dream of running the Boston Marathon in celebration of all that my dad has done for me, fundraising for the Cam Neely Foundation was a no-brainer. This incredible charity provides resources and support to cancer patients and their families, helping them navigate the emotional, financial, and physical challenges of treatment while fostering a sense of community and hope during difficult times.

Whether it be a donation, sharing my campaign, or simply sending a positive message, I appreciate any form of support as I take on this extraordinary opportunity!

And to my dad, I’ll see you at the finish line in April.

Love, Emma