A MESSAGE FROM Marilyn's Fundraising Page
Hi! My name is Marilyn Fairchild, and I am fundraising to run the 2024 New York City Marathon for the Allyson Whitney Foundation (AWF). Allyson was a young speech therapist who lost her life to a rare cancer just as she was starting her career. Like Allyson, I am a speech therapist, and, also like Allyson, I was diagnosed with cancer when I was a young adult.
When I learned of Allyson’s story, I was reminded of my own cancer diagnosis, my studies to be a speech therapist, and my fears that I would not be able to live a full life, practice speech therapy and have a family. Now, as a 56 year old who has been practicing speech therapy for 26 years, has raised three wonderful children, and been able to finish 14 marathons, I am immensely grateful. I am also eager to pass along hope to young adults facing the uncertainty of a cancer
diagnosis.
AWF provides "Life Interrupted Grants" to young adult patients battling rare cancers, to ease their financial burden, so they can concentrate on healing.
Young adults are not the ones we expect to get cancer, and rare cancers are particularly challenging because there may be less research, fewer expert medical professionals, and more uncertainty involved with a rare disease.
Please consider donating to AWF so that, together, we can bring hope to the lives of young people facing an uncertain future. AWF is a volunteer based organization that is passionate about what they do. Please visit their website at www.allysonwhitney.org for more information. Thank you!
