The Parkway Run & Walk (Virtual Edition) is so much more than just an event. It’s about a community coming together with one goal: to create a future without pediatric cancer. Although we won’t be gathering with our friends and family on the Parkway this year, We’ll still be raising funds to find a cure.
Join us today — because a future without cancer begins with us!
U.S. News & World Report ranks CHOP’s Cancer Center as the #1 pediatric oncology program in the nation. Every day, CHOP’s Cancer Center team is redefining what a cancer diagnosis means for a child. The center offers the most advanced therapies available anywhere in the world, including cutting-edge clinical trials that reprogram the body’s own immune system to fight cancer.
100% of every donation to the Parkway Run & Walk: Virtual Edition, presented by Citadel, will help CHOP make important breakthroughs in understanding the causes of childhood cancer, developing new treatments that will improve outcomes for children, and one day may lead to a cure for childhood cancer.
On April 17, 2017, I will join hundreds of Dana-Faber Marathon Challenge (DFMC) runners who will take to the streets to participate in the 121st Boston Marathon®. The DFMC team runs and raises funds with thousands of adults and children affected by cancer in mind. From Hopkinton to Boston, we carry thoughts of thousands of adults and children with us every step of the way.
Check out this short video to see how funds raised through DFMC are fueling some of today's most promising basic cancer research.
My identical twin, Leah, finished her 1st Boston Marathon® in 2013. We were reunited moments before the tragedy and deeply affected by the pain so many families had to endure.
In the years following the tragedy, I was determined to qualify for the Boston Marathon® so that Leah and I could run together in memory of those who died and in honor of those who survived.
Since 2013, I've attempted but failed to qualify 11 times while continuing to raise awareness and funds for pediatric cancer research.
We are excited to support Medals4Mettle - a national non-profit organization that facilitates the gifting of earned marathon, half marathon and triathlon medals to children and adults showing mettle or courage while dealing with difficult challenges.
Donors are welcome to share the story behind their earned medal(s) and why they want to donate.
Information gathered from those donating medals helps Medals4Mettle gain a clearer sense of their support base and may help obtain corporate sponsorship dollars in the future.
To donate your medal(s), please clean your medal(s) and remove the ribbon(s).
Medal4Mettle ribbons are attached to the donated medals before they are given to the recipients.
If you live or work near Philadelphia, you can drop-off your medal(s) at any Philadelphia Runner store.
Medals4Mettle is a non-profit organization founded in 2005. Medals4Mettle facilitates the gifting of earned marathon, half marathon, and triathlon finishers’ medals from event participants to children and adults dealing with chronic, debilitating or life-threatening illness. We do this as a celebration of the human spirit, knowing that while our medal recipients may not be out on the race course with us, they are fighting in the race for their own lives. Over the past 9 years, Medals4Mettle has presented over 45,000 medals to deserving children and adults.
Medals4Mettle is a different kind of charity that does not seek to compete with other charities for valuable dollars. It is our mission to work with established charitable organizations to increase exposure and expand education by providing runners and triathletes with a simple way to gift their medals to others. It is also our hope that this will provide athletes with the opportunity to get to know their recipient or a charitable cause, and learn more about the disease or other problem that they have faced so courageously. Only a fraction of marathon runners run for a charity and Medals4Mettle believes that the simple gifting of a finisher’s medal is a subtle but effective way to introduce the concept of charitable running.
Yes. Medals4Mettle is a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization. Donations made to your local chapter or through our website are tax-deductible. Donations of money are always needed to help offset the costs of manufacturing ribbons, distributing and awarding medals to recipients, chapter promotional materials, and ongoing shipping and administration costs of running the organization. Our chapter coordinators are all volunteers that coordinate medal collection and distribution, so your monetary donations truly go towards supporting our medal gifting program.
Where do I send my medals?
Medals4Mettle has 60 chapters in the United States as well as several chapters in other countries. To find the chapter closest to you, visit http://www.medals4mettle.org/chapters.html/If you do not have a chapter in your state, medals can be sent to our headquarters in Indianapolis, IN. Please note that many of our chapters have drop-off locations at local running stores, or may pick up medals at local race expos. Contact your local chapter coordinator if you have any questions.
How should I send the medals?
If at all possible, we ask that you remove the ribbons before mailing. Please wrap the medals in bubble-wrap or paper to help prevent damage in shipment. If you are sending a large quantity of medals, we recommend that you use USPS Priority Flat Rate boxes; this tends to be the cheapest as you pay one postage rate regardless of the weight.
We also encourage you to tell us about yourself and where the medal is from to provide us and M4M recipients some background on you and your gift.
What kinds of medals do you accept? Medals4Mettle accepts only earned marathon, half-marathon, or triathlon medals.
In the spirit of fostering philanthropy, we also accept any medals earned by children who wish to donate their medals to other children.
Can I send you my old trophies or awards from other sports?
We appreciate your donated race medals, however please do not send badges, pins, patches, stickers, plaques, ribbons or trophies as these cannot be used. Only the medals noted above are accepted.
I am a race director and I have extra medals that were never given out. Can I send you those?
We ask that only earned race medals be sent in. One of the most important parts of our program is that the medals presented were donated by athletes who earned them and wanted to pass them along to someone who they felt needed them more. Please do not send extra/unearned medals or medals from a race that was cancelled.
What happens to the medals I send you?
,Medals are presented to children and adults, either in hospital settings, group settings, or on an individual basis. The medals are presented to those who are fighting serious life-threatening illnesses, such as cancer, or who are facing lifelong debilitating illnesses. The medals are theirs to keep. We do this at no charge to the recipients, hospitals or groups we work with.
I want to help Medals4Mettle but I don't have any medals. Are there are other ways I can help?
Yes! Any of the following would help us greatly:
1. Wear our tech shirt during your races. Donate $35 or more and we'll send you our tech shirt. For more information, visit: http://www.medals4mettle.org/donate.html
2. If you are a blogger, writing a blog post about our organization helps spread the word.
4. If you are part of a running or tri club, hold a group collection for Medals4Mettle.
5. If you work for a running/cycling/athlete retail store, offer to have a medal collection box at your store.
6. Volunteer your time. You don't have to be an athlete to be involved! We have volunteers and chapter coordinators from all walks of life. You can volunteer with your local chapter, or form a chapter in your area if there isn't already one.
This year, we’re ready to do it again! To find a cure for childhood cancer, we’re going the distance to help Alex's Lemonade Stand Foundation reach one million miles.
The goal is to collectively run, walk and/or ride one million miles to raise funds and increase awareness of the need to support childhood cancer research.
The Lemon Run raises funds and awareness for childhood cancer. The Lemon Run is a fun way for 2,000 runners and walkers, including several childhood cancer heroes and there families, to get involved in Alex's Lemonade Stand Foundation’s quest to find better treatments and cures for all kids with cancer.
The Kids’ Dash (100 meters for children 10 and under) begins at 8am and the 5K Run/Walk (3.1 miles for runners and walkers) begins at 8:30am.
You can participate as a virtual runner if you aren't in Philadelphia on November 10. Supporters from across the country and around the world will run or walk their own 5K on the day of The Lemon Run.
Online Registration until 12pm on November 6: $35 for 5K Runner (timed) $25 for 5K Walker (not timed) $15 for 100 meter Kids’ Dash (age 10 and under, not timed) $25 for Virtual Participant (receive t-shirt by mail)
On-Site Registration beginning at 7am on November 10:
$45 for 5K Runner
$35 for 5K Walker
The Lemon Run Schedule:
7am Check-in / On-Site Registration Opens
8am Kids’ Dash (100 Meters for children 10 and under)
8:29am Hero Run
8:30am 5K Begins
9:30am Hero Speaker & Awards Ceremony
I'm in the process of writing a post on the subject of running through grief. If running has helped you cope with grief and you are willing to share your story, please comment below. All comments must be approved before they are published, so if you'd prefer to keep your comment private, just let me know and it won't be published.
Grief is not the process of forgetting.
Grief is the process of remembering,
with less pain and more joy.
Alex's "Original" Lemonade Stand was held on Saturday, June 8 at Penn Wynne Elementary School. Over $116, 000 was raised to fight childhood cancer. Thanks to all who made contributions to make a difference for children with cancer. And, thank you Alex for inspiring so many!
I was so grateful to be there to participate in the Butterfly Release. I released my butterfly in memory of Alex and all children who have died too soon.
