East Boston resident Jon Wakim will run in the 122nd Boston Marathon on April 16, in support of Massachusetts General Hospital’s Emergency Response Marathon Team. Jon will join an estimated 30,000 runners along the 26.2 mile course that spans from Hopkinton to Boston’s Boylston Street. The funds Jon raises will provide critical support for emergency care, disaster relief and preparedness teaching and training at Mass. General, efforts that benefit victims worldwide. The Emergency Response Marathon Team’s 2018 fundraising goal is $430,000.
Jon’s connection to Mass General is personal – his father was diagnosed with Lymphoma in 2014 and received treatment at the renowned hospital. Jon is incredibly grateful for the care and compassion his family received and is honored to run the marathon on behalf of the Emergency Response team.
Following the 2013 marathon bombings, Mass. General was invited by the Boston Athletic Association to create a special team of runners. For the fifth straight year, thanks to a partnership with John Hancock, the Mass. General Emergency Response Team will include 40 runners. To date, the Emergency Response Team has raised over $1.4 million for essential programs and services that allow Mass. General to be ready for the next disaster, whether it’s man-made or natural.
“We are grateful to our runners and the awareness they bring to emergency medicine at Mass. General,” said David Brown, MD, Chief of Emergency Medicine at Massachusetts General Hospital. “These funds support the vital training and resources needed to develop a carefully, integrated response that spans multiple departments throughout the hospital.”
To learn more about the Mass. General Emergency Response Team, please go to https://giving.massgeneral.org/boston-marathon/emergency-response-team/.