Boston Marathon Profile: JoAnne And Jeff Lavin

SHREWSBURY, MA — Shrewsbury has 21 residents running in this year's Boston Marathon.

Sudbury Patch highlights those runners in the next few weeks.

Today, we meet JoAnne Lavin and Jeff Lavin, 55 and 26. Good luck to the Lavins!

Reason for running: I have been running and fundraising for Dana-Farber since 2003 when my best friend, a young mother from Shrewsbury, was diagnosed with stage 4 colon cancer. A group of us started "Team Friends of Carolyn (TFOC)" and participated in the Jimmy Fund Walk for several years helping to raise critical funds to fight cancer.

My husband and I continued representing TFOC after the team disbanded and we ran for both Dana-Farber and the American Cancer Society while running the Chicago, Philadelphia and Paris Marathons. I received an invitational entry last year to run my first Boston Marathon with the DFMC team and it was life changing. I ran in memory of my beloved friend Carolyn who lost her battle in 2007, my co-worker Amy and my friend Kathy who was battling breast cancer. I was also partnered with a family who had lost their two year old daughter, Ariya Rose, and had been treated at DFCI. I made and carried ribbons on marathon day for friends who wanted to honor loved ones/family members touched by cancer. It was and is one of the most emotional and amazing experiences of my life. I was lucky to have raised more than $12,000 last year. Many donors contribute every single year and their generosity is amazing!

This year both my husband and I are running again with DFMC in his first Boston and my second. While fundraising is hard - we are passionate about raising funds. 100 percent of all donations go to Dana-Farber's Claudia Adams Barr Foundation where the brightest scientific minds conduct new basic innovative cancer research before funds become available. This year we have already raised more than $11,000.

We feel lucky to be able to use our passion for running - putting one foot in front of the other - to help keep cancer research moving forward. This so many others, our lives have forever been touched by cancer. We hope are efforts can somehow help.

Marathon experience: This will be our 8th marathon. JoAnne's second Boston with DFMC and Jeff's first Boston with DFMC.

Training Tip: Be consistent in your training and when your legs can't run anymore, run with your heart!

Photo submitted

Are you running the Boston Marathon? We'd love to feature you, too. Email charlene.arsenault@patch.com.