ALL DONATIONS GO TO PANCREATIC CANCER RESEARCH AT BWH

For most of you, it should be no surprise that I'm running a 10K, but I've never run more significant miles in my life.  Many of you are aware of my wife’s recent diagnosis with stage IV pancreatic cancer. It was devastating to learn that something so transformative could be the cause of her mundane mid-back pain that settled in for a few weeks. It rattled us to the core, and we will never be the same - as individuals and as a family - again. My boys have been amazingly strong. My wife, Irina, has a glowing positivity that can’t help but radiate to those around her to elevate them. 

Irina has sought comprehensive treatment modalities encompassing the ancient traditions of meditation and reiki and state-of-the art therapies, such as ras-inhibitors and histotripsy, to complement standard of care cancer treatments.  She has done this fearlessly without self-pity. We truly believe that she will live beyond her cancer, as outrageous as that sounds to those of us who know how deadly this disease is, but she is currently not doing well. We continue to hope for one of this medical miracles that happen daily at places like Dana Farber, Brigham and Women’s Hospital and Massachusetts General Hospital. 

This year, my 10K run will raise money for pancreatic cancer research at the Brigham. The money goes to the scientists that are developing new treatments for this disease. For those of us living on the fringe of medical technology and drug delivery, we know how important this is. I hope you are willing to donate a modest amount to help me and the rest of us runners to reach our fundraising goals. We sincerely thank you for your consideration.