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Marissa Lopes is running to help others escape the cycle of addiction
Lopes is running for the Herren Project to raise money for "the education, treatment, and support of individuals in recovery."
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 story here.
Name: Marissa Lopes
Age: 36
From: Somerville
On October 11 I will be running the 125th Boston Marathon with the Herren Project for the first time. The Herren Project is an organization that I trust and respect. I’ve committed to running a grueling 26.2 miles in an effort to raise money for the education, treatment, and support of individuals in recovery as well as family members struggling with the impact of addiction.
For those of you who don’t know why the Herren Project is near and dear to me, I’ll tell you why. I was born three months premature and addicted to opioids. The first five years of my life I was a child raised by parents with a drug addiction. I lost my father to an overdose and shortly after such a devastating loss, my mother gave me up for adoption. She wasn’t ready to break her addiction and she knew she couldn’t take care of me. Just like that I lost my family.
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Although I didn’t know it then, it was the best thing she could ever have done for me. It’s common knowledge that children of addicts are prone to become substance abusers. I escaped the statistic of becoming an addict myself and that makes me lucky. I was adopted into a loving and nurturing family. I gained back a sense of trust and security that had been taken away from me. Today I have two beautiful and healthy children of my own who spark my passion to fight substance disorder and to keep families together through the work of the Herren Project.
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Editor’s note: This entry may have been lightly edited for clarity or grammar.
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