Kellie Vehlies Beretta is running to raise funds for cancer
"There is no other city or charity I would rather run for!"
In our “Why I’m Running” series, Boston Marathon runners share what’s inspiring them to make the 26.2-mile trek from Hopkinton to Boston. If you’re running the marathon, you can share your #WhyImRunningBoston story here.
Name: Kellie Vehlies Beretta
Age: 31
From: Jamestown, R.I.
Two years ago my now husband, Dave, and I were happily wedding planning and getting settled into our new house. Our world quickly changed forever when he was diagnosed with stage four squamous cell carcinoma in his tongue and lymph nodes. When we got his diagnosis we knew Dana Farber would provide Dave with the best care possible, so we re-packed and moved back to Boston, the city we just moved from.
We got married in a week’s notice and two days after our wedding he was operated on. After two surgeries and seven grueling weeks of treatment, Dave was declared cancer free in August 2021. This would not have been possible without Dana Farber, an organization we owe everything to and that I am proudly running the Boston Marathon for. I was never a runner but knew I wanted to honor Dave’s experience in a big way and raise money for cancer research so other families won’t have to experience what we went through.
His strength, and the strength of every Dana Farber patient, is what encourages me to keep running. Honestly, 26.2 miles is nothing compared to what they face every day. I love running now and cannot wait to hear the crowds as I turn into Boylston St., which was my home for ten years, where my husband and I met, and where he beat cancer. There is no other city or charity I would rather run for!
Editor’s note: Entry may have been lightly edited for clarity or grammar.
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