By Dan Murphy
After attending her first Boston Marathon three years ago, Grove Street resident Kristin Monaco was committed to running it herself, but that dream was derailed last year due to a ski injury that kept her out of the footrace. This year, however, she plans to complete the 121st marathon on April 17 as part of Massachusetts General Hospital’s Emergency Response Marathon Team.
“I wanted to run for MGH because I live right by the neighborhood and because the hospital has provided treatment to my family members on many occasions,” said Monaco, a 26-year-old Cohasset native. “I also figured the time is now, since I’m not getting any younger.
Monaco is running the 26.2-mile marathon as a member of emergency response team, which was guaranteed entries after the hospital’s response to the 2013 marathon bombings and has raised over $1 million for essential programs and services. The team’s 41 runners hope to collectively raise $375,000 to provide critical support for emergency care, disaster relief and disaster preparedness teaching and training at Mass General, efforts that benefit victims worldwide.
Philip Manners of Beacon Hill is also running the race as a member of the emergency response team.
Bowdoin Street resident Lindsey Smith, who works as MGH’s coordinator for pharmacy strategic initiative, is running her first Boston Marathon this year to benefit the hospital’s “Pediatric Oncology Team, Fighting Kids’ Cancer … One Step at a Time.”
“I’ve always wanted to run the marathon, and to be part of something bigger than myself is extremely inspiring,” said Smith, age 30, who was raised in the Saratoga, NY, area. “And working for MGH, I’m inspired by the health-care providers who are so passionate about their patients and what they do.”
This year marks the 20th anniversary of John Hancock’s partnership with the Mass General Pediatric Oncology Team. Since it was formed, the pediatric team has raised more than $12 million to support research and activities for children with cancer. The team, made up of 102 runners, aims to raise more than $1 million this year to support cancer research initiatives as well as quality of life programming such as art and music therapy; support groups; and child life specialists who help patients and their families cope with illness and treatment.
To learn more about the Mass General pediatric and emergency response teams, visit https://giving.massgeneral.org/boston-marathon.