She’s running Boston for her uncle who ‘would be at the finish line’
Briannon Collins is running for the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute.
In our “Why I’m Running” series, Boston Marathon athletes share what’s inspiring them to make the 26.2-mile trek from Hopkinton to Boston. Looking for more race day content? Sign up for Boston.com’s pop-up Boston Marathon newsletter.
Name: Briannon Collins
Age: 25
From: Stratham, New Hampshire
I am running my first Boston Marathon this year with Dana-Farber Cancer Institute. I remember watching the Boston Marathon at school each year, cheering the crowds on through the little roll-in TV screens as we attempted to find our elementary school principal in the sea of runners. I watched in awe those days as thousands of people ran for hours and hours, wondering how they did it when I struggled to keep up with my friends running a few laps around the field for gym class. Now, years later, I am the one putting in the miles to train and to run with DFCI — all in memory of my uncle David.
I chose to run Boston with DFCI not only as a personal feat, but as a way to say thank you to all the doctors, nurses and other hospital staff who took such great care of my uncle. While my uncle unfortunately lost the battle to cancer in 2020, I now run in hopes that someday there will be a cure and we will find ourselves living in a world without cancer. I know that if my uncle David were here today, he would be at the finish line cheering me on as I crossed.
Dedicating myself to raising money for DFCI encourages me to believe that someday, someone else will be able to beat their cancer to watch their loved one cross the finish line on Boylston Street to honor their success story rather than in their memory.
Editor’s note: This entry may have been lightly edited for clarity or grammar.
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