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A Beverly father’s Boston Marathon run is rooted in his son’s cancer fight — and a miracle next door
"They carried us emotionally while delivering precise, extraordinary medical care. When we were in a very dark place, they kept the stars switched on, and drove us forward."
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: John Connolly
Age: 50
City/State: Beverly, Mass. (originally from Galway, Ireland)
I’m running the Boston Marathon for Team Beckett and for the kids and families who rely on Dana-Farber and the Jimmy Fund when life turns upside down.
Beckett is my 9-year-old son. Last year, he spent much of his time suffering while fighting cancer at the Jimmy Fund Clinic.
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Beckett and his twin sister, Ailish, were born on Marathon Monday in 2018 and I used running as my own quiet form of therapy. Those elements are what take me to the starting line and I’m running because I want to support other children who need the same life-saving treatments Beckett received. I’m running because the people at Dana-Farber never let the lights go out. They gave endlessly of their hearts and their minds. They carried us emotionally while delivering precise, extraordinary medical care. When we were in a very dark place, they kept the stars switched on, and drove us forward.
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There is an essential core to this story. Beckett was battling a rare and aggressive form of liver cancer that ultimately overwhelmed his liver, and then he needed a transplant. Then something incredible happened. We live on Eastern Avenue in Beverly, Massachusetts, and a neighbor on our street, mere doors away, stepped forward as a live liver donor. In April 2025, they both went into surgery. Our little lad emerged with a new lease on life.
And the donor? In 2026, she’ll be standing beside me at the start line, running the Boston Marathon! We’re taking Eastern Avenue with us onto the course. I’ll keep running beyond the finish line because no child should suffer the way Beckett did. Kids deserve their youth. And every step I take is in support of the care, research, and compassion that Dana Farber brings every day.
Editor’s note: This entry may have been lightly edited for clarity or grammar.
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