Beth Cook's Fundraiser:

2011.  That was the year.  That was the year that I made my dream of running the Boston Marathon a reality.  That was the year that there were more than 60 inches of snow on the ground.  That was the year that I raised more than $8000 for the Faulkner Hospital Sagoff Breast Imaging and Dianostic Center as part of Team Brigham.  That was when I “retired” from marathon running, right?  Well, not exactly…

The race was real.  The snow was real.  The fundraising was real.  The funds I raised made a direct impact in the lives of women diagnosed with breast cancer.  Each donation of:

• $350 paid for a wig for a woman with breast cancer
• $450 paid for a compression garment for a woman with breast cancer
• $1200 covered one year of comprehensive assistance through the Connecting Hope, Assistance and Treatment program for low-income women with breast cancer

The decision to “retire” was real too.  When my close friends and running partners Michelle and Darcey signed up for this year, I committed to training with them and cheering them on as they ran for Team Brigham.  We started running in the fall.  The mileage started racking up, but miraculously the snow didn’t.  By the time January rolled around,  we were getting into the long run portion of training. 

When Team Brigham reached out to its retired alumni because they needed help to round out their team, it was easy to say yes.  The training was there and the commitment to help was there too.  Women diagnosed with breast cancer don’t get to decide to take a year off.  Nor do the victims of domestic violence who are also helped through generous contributions to Team Brigham. 

Many of you helped make a difference last year.  Are you up for another marathon?  I am!