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April 14, 2009
It hasn’t always been easy, but Howard Weinstein, MD, chief of the Pediatric Hematology-Oncology Unit at MassGeneral Hospital for Children, has managed to run the Boston Marathon each year since he founded the hospital’s very own team 12 years ago.
As he gears up for this year’s race, he took a few minutes out of his busy schedule of treating children with cancer and training to answer some questions about his mission, and why he continues to run, year after year.
Q: What was your inspiration?
A: I started the MassGeneral Marathon Team 12 years ago. My inspiration was seeing the day-to-day struggle of my patients and their amazing determination to get well despite some tough odds and setbacks along the way.
Q: Had you run marathons in the past?
A: I had run seven marathons prior to starting our team, and all but one was a charity event to raise funds for cancer research.
Q: How has the team evolved since year 1?
A: We started with 10 runners who raised $50,000, and last year our 110 runners raised $650,000. We have also developed a highly successful Patient Partner Program over the years. Each year about 40 runners are matched with patients who are actively being treated for cancer. The runners have the opportunity to meet their patient partner prior to the marathon and then present them with a marathon medal at our pasta dinner medal ceremony.
We also offer many perks to our runners including tips on fundraising, nutrition, injury prevention and training, and we organize weekly group runs. The highlight of our program is the Patient Partner Program.
Q: What are your expectations/hopes for this year's race?
A: My hope is that our team will raise a record amount of money and that all of our runners will cross the finish line and feel good about having participated in such a wonderful cause.
Q: Are you running for a particular patient partner?
A: Each year I run for one of my patients and a friend or family member whose life has been impacted by cancer. This year I am running for a 9-year-old patient of mine who developed a lymphoma many years after a liver transplant and also in memory of my sister-in-law who died this past year from stomach cancer.
Q: You always host the team at your house on the day of the marathon. When and how did that originate?
A: My family has been hosting the team and our patient partners and their families at our house near mile 20 since the start of our program. The entire neighborhood joins us in support, and my children have a lemonade and baked good stand at mile 20 that brings in about $1000 each year for our program.
Q: If you had to offer a few words of inspiration to the team on the big day what would they be?
A: I always tell the team to keep their eye on the prize while they are running the Boston Marathon: The well being of children who are struggling to survive cancer.
