Arlington's Bobby Earle O'Brien Running 2014 Boston Marathon for Ezra Caldwell, Cancer Research

The following was submitted by Bobby Earle O'Brien, of Arlington.

Name: Bobby Earle O'Brien

Age: 49

Goal: One of my goals is to raise over $10,000 for the Dana-Farber Marathon Challenge. Every dollar the Dana-Farber Marathon Challenge raises supports the Claudia Adams Barr Program in Innovative Basic Cancer Research, which funds the brightest, most creative scientists making basic research discoveries. All administrative costs are covered by the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, not the Claudia Adams Barr Program in Innovative Basic Cancer Research program. That means 100% of the proceeds go directly to research!  Another goal is to spread the word on all of the amazing accomplishments of this program. Finally, I’d like to kiss more Wellesley College women than I did in my previous 5 Boston Marathons.

Reason for running: It’s a privilege to run the Boston Marathon and I’m glad to be a part of the 2014 Dana-Farber Marathon Challenge, an official Boston Athletic Association (BAA) charitable program. This is my 6th Boston Marathon and my 4th for Dana-Farber.

So, what was I thinking? Why did I subject myself to training in the freezing cold and commit to raising a minimum of $4000 to participate in the 2014 Boston Marathon? Simply put, I met Ezra Caldwell.

Ezra was diagnosed in 2008 with Stage II rectal cancer and then endured 3-4 years of treatment. In November of 2012, he was diagnosed with a recurrence of the disease and at Stage IV with metastasis. He was given six to eight months to live.

The good news is that I am happy to report that he’s still busy at his home & workshop in Harlem, where he celebrated his 40th birthday back in December. Unfortunately there is bad news. There is a good indication that the cancer is metastasizing pretty quickly.

Ezra will be on my mind during the 26 miles and 385 yards of the Boston Marathon, and am dedicating the run to him.  You can follow my blog at http://myadidasandme.wordpress.com/.

Finally, I will have several other people in my thoughts during the 2014 Boston Marathon. My mother was a breast cancer survivor. My cousin Billy died when he was 19 of melanoma. My Aunt Sheila, Billy's mother, recently died from lung cancer. My friend Suma is in remission from two bouts of acute myelogenous leukemia (AML).  Suma's sister Dara, who was the bone marrow donor for Suma, died from endometrial cancer. In addition, all four of my wife's grandparents died from cancer.

Fundraising link: http://www.runDFMC.org/2014/bobbyearle

The 76 Arlington Residents Running the 2014 Boston Marathon >>