She’s running Boston with her best friend after both diagnosed with cancer

"Cancer tried to slow us down, but it messed with the wrong girls."

April 5, 2026 | 7:00 AM

2 minutes to read

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: Meg Gannon
Age: 47 (on race day)
From: Canton, Mass.

On Feb. 8, 2024, I heard three words no one wants to hear. “You have cancer” the doctor from Mass General Brigham said to me on the phone.

In that moment, my heart sank and I wondered how I would tell my teenage sons and young daughter about my breast cancer diagnosis. Having run seven marathons previously, running is my escape and kept me calm during a very uncertain time. Instead of tears, each time I talked about my cancer to family, friends and colleagues, I described conquering it like it was another marathon. I told everyone I hoped to run one more marathon for an incredible hospital that would help me beat cancer.

The next month was filled with many appointments to prepare for a double mastectomy and my recovery. My surgery was extremely successful, but I faced a few setbacks in the spring and fall that would require some additional surgery, so my hopes of running Boston in 2025 were put on-hold. Throughout this time, I started my five-year tamoxifen plan and was blessed to be in the hands of Dr. Douglas Micalizzi, my amazing oncologist, at MGH.

I am thrilled to share I will be lacing up my shoes on April 20, 2026, to run my eighth marathon (sixth Boston) for Mass General. My best friend from Boston College, Peggy, will be running beside me, also running for MGH. Peggy was diagnosed six months after me with the same cancer and lost her first husband to sarcoma. We will run every mile together in celebration of life, survivorship, and friendship, and in honor of everyone battling cancer.

Cancer tried to slow us down, but it messed with the wrong girls. By crossing that finish line, we hope to show others that with patience and perseverance, triumph over cancer is possible.

Editor’s note: This entry may have been lightly edited for clarity or grammar.

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Kelly Chan

Content Producer

Kelly Chan is a content producer at Boston.com. She designs multimedia content on site and across social media platforms, and experiments with new ways to engage readers.

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