TeamCCF at the Chicago Marathon
TeamCCF had 18 runners participate in the 2019 Bank of America Chicago Marathon, Sunday, October 13th. This year’s team was the largest to date with men and women of all ages from 13 different states.
Together the team raised an unprecedented $49,485. And they will continue to fundraise through the month of October.
Runners participate, in part, to help with their grieving process but also to raise the much-needed awareness for this rare cancer and to raise funds for research in honor of their loved one and the life they lost.
One member, Fay Hosseini of Seattle, Washington, lost her mother, Parvin in May of 2018. To help with the grief, Hosseini decided to run with TeamCCF. “The experience made me realize that there is still a fair amount of grief that I still have to process and work through” Hosseini shared “but I know that this is likely something that is shared across the board. I had my mom’s name engraved on the back of the medal and that was yet another emotional experience because it hit me again that she really is gone.” Hosseini described the team by saying “I feel like I am now a part of a super hero team, working towards an important mission, with hearts of gold!”
Diana Park of McKinney, Texas, ran with TeamCCF for the second year in a row. “I ran in honor of my mom, who lost her battle with cholangiocarcinoma in March 2017, after a 2.5 year battle. With every run I take, I have my mom by my side. She was my biggest cheerleader growing up, and when I run, I get to have my time with my mom.” Park went on to explain that “TeamCCF is important to me because it brought us together as a family. A family of grievers, a family of survivors and a family of hope. We came from all parts of the USA, and we were brought together through emails and a Facebook group page. The constant support, encouragement and stories kept me going during the months of training.” Park concluded with “I cannot wait to run with them again!”
Madison Waun and her brother Tommy of Austin, Texas ran in honor of their grandfather. Waun wrote a thank you saying “Bringing my family together for this event meant the world to me and my brother. We had no idea this Foundation existed a year ago and it has been a such a blessing to us after our grandfather died.”
For the third year in a row, Lisa Craine, Volunteer Research and Patient Advocate for the Foundation, travelled from Akron, Ohio to support and cheer on the runners. Craine believes “TeamCCF is more than just running, this is about a family of cholangiocarcinoma patients and caregivers coming together to support, love and give others hope. I am in awe of those who ran for all of us and for those gone too soon.”
Bibs for next year’s 2020 Bank of America Chicago Marathon are available now. Interested participants can email Meredith McGuffage or visit teamccf.org for more information.
“I ran in honor of my mom, who lost her battle with cholangiocarcinoma in March 2017, after a 2.5 year battle. With every run I take, I have my mom by my side. She was my biggest cheerleader growing up, and when I run, I get to have my time with my mom.”
– Diana Park
Diana Park
TeamCCF Cheer Team
click to enlarge these photos by Lisa Craine and Gregory Metzler