My Story…
On August 18th I will be lacing up my sneakers again to race from Woods hole to Falmouth Heights in memory of my brother-in-law, Ryan Richards. This 7-mile hot and hilly course was his Superbowl, frequently falling on his birthday weekend. Although my pace over the years has slowed a bit, my enthusiasm for this day never waivers. Ryans spirit is palpable in Falmouth that day and I always find an extra push thanks to Ryan.
In June 2015 Ryan was diagnosed with a rare and aggressive cancer, Nut Midline Carcinoma. The outlook was grim, but he persevered and fought tooth and nail with the support of his incredible network of friends and family. He was able to celebrate his 40th birthday that summer and then shortly after he and Colleen welcomed Nora Ryan into the world. Just two short months later, he passed.
Ryan was always the life of the party, had the absolute best laugh, and his dance moves were second to none. In term of running, Ryan said, "I ran every road race as fast as I could, because if I paced myself, I wouldn't be able to make up the time later in the race". With no surprise, he lived his life the same way. In an effort to harness his positive energy and keep his memory alive, the Ryan Richards Foundation (RRF) was founded.
The RRF mission is to support local families struggling with cancer, support rare cancer research at Dana Farber Cancer Institute (DFCI), and support graduating Falmouth High School Seniors with scholarships to continue their education.
Since 2016, the RRF has helped dozens of local families battling cancer, endowed two annual scholarships, and funded medical advancements of over one hundred thousand dollars to Nut Midline Carcinoma Clinical Trials.
Ryan started the race, now we will finish it for him. Please consider supporting this worthy cause that is so dear to me and my family.
Donate to help Katie raise money for The 2024 ASICS Falmouth Road Race’s fundraising campaign.
Recent donors
Donation date | Donor name | Donation amount |
---|---|---|
Jul 31 | Tom and Melanie McGrath | $218.85 |
Jul 30 | The Fagone Family | $109.85 |
Jul 30 | Steph & Jeff Anderson | Undisclosed amount |
Jun 28 | Lincoln, Claire, and Teddy | $109.85 |