February 18, 2000

Marathon winner Bill Rodgers (below) recently shared words of wisdom with members of the MassGeneral Marathon Team "Fighting Kids' Cancer ... One Step at a Time," who are preparing to run the Boston Marathon in April. Rodgers hosted a running clinic Feb. 15 to give training tips and encouragement to the MGH runners, who are raising money to benefit young cancer patients at the MassGeneral Hospital for Children.

"I want to salute all of you and your team's efforts," said Rodgers. "Meeting the patients you are helping must be a powerful drive in your mind while you are training. If I had been running for cancer patients, maybe I wouldn't have dropped out of the marathon three times!"

This MassGeneral Marathon Team started two years ago and now includes 60 runners hoping to raise $300,000 — an amount the Adidas company will match. All of the money raised goes directly toward finding a cure or initiating new treatments for patients treated in the MGH Pediatric Hematology and Oncology Unit.

The team is made up of MGH physicians, nurses, staff, patients, parents of patients and others. Many are running in the name of patients, who range in age from 3 to 16 and are battling leukemia, bone cancer, lymphoma, brain tumors or other types of cancer.

"Progress in treating childhood cancer during the last 20 years has been phenomenal," says Howard Weinstein, MD, chief of the MGH Pediatric Hematology and Oncology Unit. "The money we raise by running the marathon will go directly to clinical and laboratory research. Every penny will make a huge difference in the lives of our patients."

Bill Rodgers has won the New York and Boston marathons four times. Running 25 races a year, he has earned a number of prestigious awards and set records in track and road races.