Valerie Bertinelli to run 2010 Boston Marathon^® to support research at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute

Actress Valerie Bertinelli will run the 114th Boston Marathon® on April 19, 2010, to support cancer research at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute in Boston

January 07, 2010

Bertinelli and her trainer Christopher Ross Lane will join more than 500 Dana-Farber Marathon Challenge (DFMC) teammates from across the United States and overseas as part of the Dana-Farber Marathon Challenge. The team will run the historic route from Hopkinton to Boston with a goal of raising $4.4 million for the Claudia Adams Barr Program in Innovative Basic Cancer Research at Dana-Farber.

"Losing 40 pounds was a huge accomplishment. As I continue to increase my fitness level, I am looking for more challenges," said Bertinelli. "The opportunity to run the Boston Marathon® for Dana-Farber is an undertaking that will test my endurance while allowing me the opportunity to raise critical funds for cancer research that will benefit people around the world."

Adds Lane: "As a trainer this is an amazing opportunity for me to run with my client and see Valerie obtain a huge life goal, and it's awesome because it benefits an amazing cause."

Since the Dana-Farber Marathon Challenge's inception in 1990, its dedicated runners have raised more than $43 million for the Barr Program. Dana-Farber Trustees and Jacksonville Jaguars principal owners J. Wayne and Delores Barr Weaver founded the Barr Program in 1987 to honor Mrs. Weaver's mother, who lost her battle with cancer 30 years earlier.

The Barr Program provides Dana-Farber investigators the financial support to conduct novel research into the molecular genetics, biology, biochemistry, and epidemiology of cancer, with the goal of generating discoveries that lead to a better understanding of cancer and advances in the diagnosis and treatment of adult and pediatric cancers.

"We are excited and honored to have Valerie be part of the Dana-Farber Marathon Challenge roster. Valerie and her teammates choose to take on the significant challenges of marathon training and fundraising to support those facing an even more difficult road," said Jan Ross, director of Dana-Farber's Marathon and Running Programs, "These determined athletes are passionate and caring and they strive to make a difference."

Dana-Farber was among the first charity organizations to be given official marathon entries by the Boston Athletic Association (B.A.A.). This year, the B.A.A.'s charity program benefits 24 organizations. Some of the Dana-Farber Marathon Challenge's team amenities include extensive fundraising guidance and its renowned Partner Program that pairs runners with patients and families at the Institute's Jimmy Fund Clinic, training materials from Jack Fultz, the 1976 Boston Marathon® men's champion, team training runs, volunteer opportunities for non-runners, and marathon weekend festivities.

Dana-Farber Cancer Institute is a principal teaching affiliate of the Harvard Medical School and is among the leading cancer research and care centers in the United States. It is a founding member of the Dana-Farber/Harvard Cancer Center (DF/HCC), designated a comprehensive cancer center by the National Cancer Institute. It is the top ranked cancer center in New England, according to U.S. News & World Report, and one of the largest recipients among independent hospitals of National Cancer Institute and National Institutes of Health grant funding.