Marathoner laces up for charity

When Jennifer Stefanik ran the Boston Marathon for the first time in 2007, her roommate at the time said to her, “Well, we have to keep running. How else are we going to get home?” And now, 18 years later, Stefanik is on her way to her 10th Boston Marathon.

For Stefanik, the Boston Marathon is more than a coveted race many runners aspire to conquer — it’s an opportunity for her to fundraise for a cause she’s passionate about, running the marathon as a charity runner for health related organizations.

“I think running for charity, no matter what the race or the event, is a great way to highlight the so many deserving charities that need our funds desperately,” she said.

This year Stefanik is running for the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, where she has worked as a nurse practitioner in the Center for Neuro-Oncology since 2012.

“Unfortunately, especially in the world of healthcare, there's just never enough funds to go around to look for better treatments, prevention and cures,” she said. “I feel that running is a great way that I can help out, by calling attention to the cause and by raising money for it.”

Stefanik said that she’s “very proud” to be running for the organization she works for because she knows “firsthand where the funds are going in my work,” adding that she considers it a privilege to raise money for Dana-Farber.

She also said one of the biggest reasons why she races for Dana-Farber is to support the research to find better treatments for brain tumors and “firsthand for the patients that I treat.”

“I have so many patients that directly benefit from these funds,” she said.

The fundraising amount varies from organization to organization with the minimum amount set at $10,000 to run for the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute this year.

Despite her years of fundraising experience, Stefanik said getting started can be daunting.

“When you first get started and you have $0 raised, it's like you're looking up a giant mountain,” she said. “And, you know, you do think for a second, can I do this again? Can I reach my goal? Can I surpass my goal?”

Stefanik hosted a fundraising party at the Sail Loft in South Dartmouth where she auctioned off items and held a raffle, with most of the items donated from local businesses. She also recently fundraised with Super Bowl squares and held a bake sale at work.

“I get very creative,” she said. “It’s a challenge, but I definitely enjoy the fundraising aspect of it.”

She added that when donations start to come in she gets “motivated and inspired to do more and to try harder.”

The Dana-Farber Cancer Institute is one of 176 organizations participating in the 2025 Boston Marathon, with other organizations such as Homes for our Troops, Make-A-Wish and several Boys and Girls Clubs across Massachusetts participating as well.

Stefanik offered some advice to people who may be considering running for a charity but don’t know where to start.

“I would say to find a charity or a cause that's meaningful to you because it makes the motivation more personal,” she said. “The dedication is there because it's a cause that you're drawn to and want to support.”

“I would definitely say do it,” she added.