Six Westford Residents Will Run in Boston Marathon for Dana Farber

On April 16, six residents from Westford, Mass., will be running in the 116th Boston Marathon® to help conquer cancer as a member of the Dana-Farber Marathon Challenge team. 

Ryan Canty, Jason Calisi, Corie Mae Callaluca, Kelli Hesseltine, Julie Horton, and Greg LoConte will join along with Dana-Farber Marathon Challenge teammates from across the United States and around the world, will run Massachusetts’ historic marathon route from Hopkinton to Boston with a goal to raise $4.8 million for cancer research at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute.

Dana-Farber Marathon Challenge team members must meet one of the basic fundraising commitments: -Invitational runners, runners who receive an entry from Dana-Farber have a basic fundraising commitment of $4,000. -Own entry runners, runners who have joined the DFMC after obtaining their own race entry have a basic fundraising commitment of $3,500.

One-hundred-percent of the funds raised benefit the Claudia Adams Barr Program in Innovative Basic Cancer Research at Dana-Farber, which funds basic research in its earliest stages, providing scientists with critical resources to test their innovative ideas. Findings from this research can provide novel clinical insights as well the foundation to seek additional federal funding support.

Since its inception in 1990, the Dana-Farber Marathon Challenge has raised more than $52 million for the Barr Program. Dana-Farber Trustees Delores Barr and Wayne Weaver founded the Barr Program in 1987 to honor Mrs. Weaver’s mother, Claudia Adams Barr, who lost her battle with cancer in 1957.

In 1990, Dana-Farber was among the first charity organizations to be recognized by the B.A.A. The Dana-Farber Marathon Challenge team offers its members extensive fundraising support, training guidance from Jack Fultz, the 1976 Boston Marathon® men’s champion, plus team training runs, and volunteer opportunities for non-runners.

Dana-Farber Marathon Challenge runners who are not time-qualified for the Boston Marathon receive an invitational entry into the race. To contribute to the Dana-Farber Marathon Challenge or to support a runner, go online to www.RunDFMC.org or contact the Dana-Farber Marathon Challenge office at (617) 632-1970 or dfmc@dfci.harvard.edu.