Pediatric Cancer

Since 1998, with the partnership of John Hancock, the Mass General Marathon Team “Fighting Kids’ Cancer…. One Step at a Time” has raised over $18.5 million to support family-centered care for children with all types of cancer in the Pediatric Hematology-Oncology Clinic at MassGeneral Hospital for Children.

Runners on the Pediatric Cancer Team come from all backgrounds. They are Mass General doctors, nurses, hospital personnel, parents and relatives of our patients, cancer survivors, friends and anyone whose life has been impacted by cancer and wants to make a difference. Most important people of all, the team includes our patients, who are fighting childhood cancer every day and hoping for a cure. They are the true heroes of the Marathon Team because they are running the biggest race of all: the race to a full recovery from cancer.

Facts about Childhood Cancer

  • Every day, 36 children are diagnosed with cancer.
  • One in every 330 Americans develops cancer before age 20.
  • There are approximately 350,000 adult survivors of childhood cancer in the United States.
  • When Dr. Howard Weinstein, chief, Pediatric Hematology-Oncology, started his residency in Pediatrics at Mass General in 1972, the chances of surviving childhood cancer were small. In the last three decades, survival rates have improved dramatically and today, approximately 85 percent of newly diagnosed childhood cancer patients are cured.
  • Even with this great progress, childhood cancer is responsible for the deaths of more children and teenagers than any other disease.

Led by Howard Weinstein, MD, chief of the Pediatric Hematology-Oncology Program, and founder of the MGH Marathon Team, the MGHfC Pediatric Cancer Clinic provides the best care possible for today’s patients and families while striving to improve care for tomorrow’s patients through a commitment to research. Through 2020 and beyond, Clinic staff are working to provide telehealth appointments, create a safe environment to make patients comfortable receiving treatment in-person, and raise special funding for families impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. As always, marathon dollars will continue to provide critical funding to help the MGH Cancer Center fight childhood cancer and protect the hospital’s most vulnerable patients.

Pediatric Cancer Patient Partner Program

The Patient Partner Program honors the courageous children, adolescents and young adults who are receiving or have received treatment at the MGfC Cancer Center. Runners are paired with pediatric patients prior to Marathon Day so that they may develop a special relationship and draw strength and inspiration from one another.

Expectations of runners participating in the Patient Partner Program

  • Contact Patient Partner within two weeks of receiving patient information letter.
  • Arrange to meet Patient Partner prior to the marathon virtually or in-person. Patient Partner coordinators are available to assist in facilitating this meeting.
  • If you plan to share your patient partner’s story to assist with your fundraising efforts you must obtain verbal consent from the child’s parent/guardian.
  • Please note that patients are not expected to raise money towards your marathon efforts.

Not all runners who apply will have the opportunity to be matched with a patient. We are fortunate to have more runners than patients participating in the marathon program each year.

APPLY HERE

**Applications are Due October 31

Have questions on the Patient Partner Program?  Please contact Annah, Clare, or Heather:

Annah Abrams, MD                  
MGH Child Psychiatrist
Patient Partner Program
Phone: (617) 424-8389
Email – aabrams@mgh.harvard.edu

Clare Kelly, MS, CCLS
MGH Child Life Specialist
Patient Partner Program
Email: CKELLEY17@mgh.harvard.edu

Heather Peach, MS, CCLS
MGH Child Life Specialist
Patient Partner Program
Phone: (617) 643-1819
Email – HPEACH@mgh.harvard.edu