Social Worker Trains for NYC Marathon to Support Children’s Cancer Research

“Last year, two days before the race, I fell down my stairs and broke my big toe.”

Those are words of social worker Sarah Fehringer, who finished the 26.2-mile New York City Marathon in 2016, despite experiencing the excruciating pain that comes along with a broken toe.

Sarah had committed herself to running the marathon, and if you know her personally, you know that she’s not one to break her promises. So, despite not being able to bear weight on her right foot, she boarded her flight.

“I iced, took Ibuprofen, elevated it and prayed I could get through it. Everyone told me I was crazy. Yes, I know, and maybe ‘dumb’ is a better verb, but I ran a steady pace until about mile 15 and my toe hurt so bad. With every step, I winced. So, I walked when I needed to, and just enjoyed the crowd, the atmosphere, and the environment. It was definitely worth every ache and pain.”

Sarah Fehringer

That was in 2016, and now this year, Sarah’s even more determined to complete the marathon. She not only wants to prevent her toe from getting broken again, but she also hopes to raise more funds and awareness for children’s cancer research.

When Sarah didn’t win the marathon lottery this year like she did in 2016, she began looking at various charities to support. Knowing of three friends whose children have been diagnosed with pediatric cancer, and being a large supporter of Love your Melon, she was ultimately drawn to CureSearch as her charity of choice.

“Seeing what my friends and their children and families have gone through is heartbreaking, and I’ve felt helpless as part of their support system. I can’t imagine how they must feel watching their children fight for their lives. This organization seemed like a perfect fit.”

For Sarah, doing the NYC Marathon while supporting CureSearch is an incredible reason to run and train. But more importantly, it’s about raising money for pediatric cancer awareness, education, and finding a cure.

Sarah reached out to a few friends and family members when she first began fundraising, asking them to donate to her cause, and she had an outpouring of support and donations. Now that the school year is almost over, she can begin dedicating most of her time to reaching out to her circle of friends, family, coworkers, neighbors, and more, she knows she will definitely exceed the minimum donation requirements.

“I am doing a fair amount of cross training right now and will begin training more seriously in the next few weeks. I ran it last year and I’m so excited for this opportunity again! I broke my big toe two days before the race last year and ran/hobbled through it, but I’m persistent and determined.”

We are grateful for Sarah’s persistence, determination and passion for finding a cure for children’s cancer, and we can’t wait to see her beat the odds again in this year’s race.

Donate to Sarah’s fundraising page here.

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