Help Cancer Patients Save Their Hair

Dearest Family and Friends,

In 2022, I was diagnosed with Stage 1 HER2-positive breast cancer.

As anyone who has gone through cancer treatment knows, so much feels out of your control. One of my biggest fears was losing my hair. While that may seem like a vain or trivial concern compared to everything else that comes with a cancer diagnosis, at that moment in my life my hair represented my identity, my confidence, and my sense of normalcy during an incredibly challenging time.

Before treatment, my oncologist told me about scalp cooling, also known as cold capping, a treatment that can help reduce chemotherapy-related hair loss. I had never heard of it, and I certainly wasn't expecting it to be an out-of-pocket expense. Fortunately, I was able to afford it, and I kept most of my hair. That made an enormous difference in how I felt, both physically and emotionally, throughout treatment.

It became very clear to me that scalp cooling should be available to every cancer patient undergoing chemotherapy, regardless of their financial situation. No one should have to choose between paying for treatment-related expenses and paying for the chance to preserve a part of themselves that can provide comfort, confidence, and dignity during such a difficult time.

Now for the exciting part of my story. It's been eight years since my last marathon, and, by pure luck, I received an entry to run my 14th New York City Marathon. I'm taking this opportunity to go the distance once again while raising money for a cause that is deeply personal to me.

HairToStay helps cancer patients preserve their hair, confidence, and sense of self during chemotherapy by providing financial assistance for scalp cooling treatment.

If you're able, please consider making a donation to help someone face cancer with a little more dignity, hope, and well-being.

Thank you for supporting my 14th NYC Marathon journey and, more importantly, for helping HairToStay make a lasting difference for cancer patients and their families.

This fundraiser is in honor of several dear friends and breast cancer survivors—Virginia, Traci, Amanda, and Sandra—and in loving memory of my sister-in-law, Caroline, and my dear friend and colleague, Claire. They were two of the most loving, gritty, hilarious, straight-shooting badasses I've ever known. I love them, and I miss them every day.