2013 Boston Marathon Team

JDRF is part of the Boston Athletic Association’s Boston Marathon Official Charity Program and has a team of runners participating in the 117th running of the race on April 15, 2013.

Our marathoners come from near and far and each share a commitment to raising funds for type 1 diabetes (T1D) research.  Collectively the team has already raised more than $54,000 for our mission to-date!  A special thanks also to our marathon coaches Mary Tolland and Neil Wallack and committee members Mike Samuels and Laura Takach for supporting our runners along their journey.

Meet the team:  

Chris Benjamin
Honolulu, HI
“Not only is it a dream for me to run Boston, but I am thrilled to be running it for JDRF.  As a long-time JDRF volunteer, I can vouch, first hand, for the diligence and effectiveness with which JDRF directs its donors’ contributions to the best research in the world.”

Tracy Collyer
Derry, NH
“I am running for my nephew Patrick who has T1D.”

Erika Djerf
Quincy, MA
“I want to run for my grandfather, uncle, cousin and for everyone else living with diabetes as well as their families.”

Mark Donovan
Brooklyn, NY
“This fundraising opportunity signifies the convergence of three passions in my life: running marathons, supporting those with personal struggle, and becoming more personally involved with organizations focused on improving the lives of many.”

Barry Falcon
Marietta, GA
“I’m running in honor of my son Michael, who has lived with T1D for 10 years now; he was 12 at diagnosis and is now 22.”

Christine Hunt
Waltham, MA
“I want to run for my uncle and for all students with T1D.”

Ken Hutcheson
Orlando, FL
“I have found in the past my activities in business, family, and the community allow me to educate others on diabetes-related issues and motivate those I come into contact with who have been impacted by diabetes.  This is much more effective when I have real-life examples of what can be accomplished while living daily with T1D.  Completing the Boston Marathon would set this bar high.”

Sue Kiley
Andover, MA
“I am running with my friend, Sue Kiley, for the LeBrun family—our good friends and neighbors whose son Gavin was diagnosed with T1D in kindergarten.”

Ellen McGlynn
Andover, MA
“I am running this marathon with my dear friend Sue Kiley.  Our families are good friends with Gavin LeBrun, our neighbor, and his family.  Gavin was diagnosed with diabetes on the last day of school in kindergarten.  Over the last two and a half years he and his family have gone through a huge adjustment period but he is a tough kid and his parents are even stronger.  We’re running for them.”

Erin Megan
Brighton, MA
“My younger sister was diagnosed three months ago at the age of 20.  It was an extremely unexpected diagnosis.  She learned to adjust very fast in order to stay on track and start her nursing degree this fall.  If she can do that, I can definitely run 26.2 miles towards a cure.”

Michael Marino
Norfolk, MA
“My wife’s cousin, Grace, was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes a few years ago and I am running for her and to find a cure for this disease.”

Joey Naylor
Newton, MA
“Jack Beggans is who I initially wanted to run for and to help fundraise for, but the motivation has unquestionably grown beyond just Jack’s story since my experience running for JDRF last year, which provided me the opportunity to hear the stories of so many others affected by T1D.”

Mike Samuels
Boston, MA
“I have T1D but my motivation is for all the young kids who have to deal with this disease.”

Jeffrey Spear
Boston, MA
“I am running to support a charity I’ve been involved with since childhood.”

Donald Spence
Boston, MA
“In a small way the training and the running of a marathon is a tribute to the perseverance and challenge every patient faces day to day living with this disease.   If I can help contribute to the cure or assist in any way then it would be a privilege to run.”

David Stanick, Jr.
Rochdale, MA
“If there was a cure for T1D, my nephew, several staff, and students at my school would be able to live a more normal life.”

Andrew Sugg
Honolulu, HI (formerly of Sudbury, MA)
“My son, Sam, has been living with T1D for five years.  He’s my inspiration, my motivation and my hero.  I’ll be thinking of him every step of the 26.2 miles.”

Stephanie Williams
Canton, MA
“I know of three children in my school with T1D.  Seeing all of their struggles makes me want to help work towards a cure.”

Andrew Winter
North Potomac, MD
“I want to run the Boston Marathon in honor of my 8-year-old daughter who has had T1D since 2008.”

Learn more about the team and support their efforts, and be sure to cheer them on in April on Marathon Monday!