Help McKinnlee raise money

On May 3rd, I’ll be running the Pittsburgh Half Marathon. A few months ago, I couldn’t even run a quarter of a mile. As you can imagine, when I started training I was completely miserable. But something kept me going. My dad was a runner. He ran marathons. Somewhere deep down, there was a runner in me. My dad passed away in 2017 after battling Hodgkin’s Lymphoma for several years. I remember finding it odd that throughout the time he was sick, he just kept going. Every day, no matter how long he was awake in pain throughout the night, he’d get up and go to work. He kept up with running as much as he physically could.

People have asked me “Why are you doing this?” when I go out to run in the middle of a snowstorm. This week I realized I’m doing this for my dad. I’m doing what he can’t do anymore, because being able to run is a privilege. Throughout my training, I’ve used a phrase when I’m thinking of my dad to keep me going during some of the hardest moments. When I’m struggling on a run I think: “This isn’t hard. Cancer is hard”. 

In honor of my dad, I’ve decided to raise money for a charity. The Emily Whitehead Foundation advocates for increased awareness of advanced therapies for cancer patients and a need for wider access to treatment. Since its inception, the Foundation has connected countless families with experts and clinical trials, helped pave the way for over 45,000 individuals to access advanced therapies worldwide and raised over $4.5 million for revolutionary research so more patients can live a long full life. My fundraising goal is $500. Please donate and join me in supporting the fight against cancer.