I am honored to be running my first marathon in my hometown of Chicago in support of the Children’s Brain Tumor Foundation. For over 35 years, CBTF has grown from a small New York organization offering information and peer support into a national leader providing year-round programs for families facing a pediatric brain or spinal cord tumor, from diagnosis through treatment, survivorship, and bereavement. As founders of the Children’s Brain Tumor Network, CBTF champions collaboration to drive research forward and address the often devastating long-term effects of treatment. While volunteering and shadowing at two of Chicago’s major hospitals, I met a renowned Chicago neurosurgeon who later became a mentor. Much of what he emphasized had little to do with the operating room. He spoke about patients and families he continued to hear from long after treatment ended, and about how survival often marked the beginning of a different set of challenges. He introduced me to the Children’s Brain Tumor Foundation, an organization he respected for its commitment to supporting families beyond the hospital. It was the first time I saw an organization dedicated to supporting families not just during treatment, but through the complex and often isolating life beyond the hospital setting. Your support helps ensure that children, survivors, and families across the country receive the community, resources, and hope they need. Thank you so much!!!