Readers Say

Vanessa Federico is running ‘toward the ultimate finish line: a world without cancer’

"As an avid spectator on the Boylston sidelines for many years, running the Boston Marathon was always a question of when, not if."

Vanessa Federico, 29, of Wakefield is running the Boston Marathon.

February 28, 2023

2 minutes to read

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: Vanessa Federico
Age: 29
From: Wakefield

My name is Vanessa Federico and I am so excited to be running the 2023 Boston Marathon for the Dana-Farber Marathon Challenge team.

‘She is the drive behind all that I do, and the reason I am running 26.2 miles.’

While running the Boston Marathon has always been a bucket list dream of mine, I am most excited to share this dream and make it a reality by running alongside both of my incredible sisters.

I am running the 2023 Boston Marathon for Dana-Farber because I am here to defy cancer and raise as much money and awareness for cancer research as possible. I have been an active patient at Dana-Farber for the last six years, and while I don’t have cancer, I am taking my health into my own hands. One month after crossing the finish line, I will be entering the OR at Brigham and Women’s Hospital to reduce my risk of breast cancer by undergoing a prophylactic double mastectomy.

While I do not have cancer, I do carry the BRCA1 genetic mutation, which puts me at an 87% risk of breast cancer and a 50% risk of ovarian cancer in my lifetime. I am so grateful to be in a position where I can decide what to do with my body and outpace cancer, a disease that has persisted in my family’s history for decades.

This marathon feels like a full-circle moment in so many ways. Not only is Boston home, but it is also the place in which we sought medical care as previvors at Dana-Farber. My sisters and I have all completed genetic counseling and testing at Dana-Farber and with that knowledge, comes power.

As an avid spectator on the Boylston sidelines for many years, running the Boston Marathon was always a question of when not if. And to represent Dana-Farber for 26.2 miles on Marathon Monday for the ultimate victory lap is truly the greatest honor.

One hundred percent of every dollar raised by the DFMC team supports the Claudia Adams Barr Program in Innovative Basic Cancer Research at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute. These funds are fueling some of today’s most promising basic cancer research, and I am so proud and honored to be part of this team.

Together, we’re headed toward the ultimate finish line: a world without cancer.

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