Why I’m Running
“I will be running to raise money for Shannon so the least of her worries are costs to fight this disease.”
April 17, 2026 | 7:00 AM
2 minutes to read
In our “Why I’m Running” series, Boston Marathon athletes share what’s inspiring them to make the 26.2-mile trek from Hopkinton to Boston. Looking for more race day content? Sign up for Boston.com’s pop-up Boston Marathon newsletter.
Name: Kerry Ryan
Age: 42
From: Dorchester
On April 20, I will be running the Boston Marathon for my younger sister, Shannon, who has been battling Stage 4 Metastatic Breast Cancer since June 2024.
Shannon was diagnosed just three months after having her first child. Upon diagnosis she immediately began intense chemotherapy and bone transfusions to fight a tumor that metastasized to her liver, bones, and vertebrae. We were informed that this was treatable; however she would live the rest of her life with it.
In September 2025, Shannon’s prognosis took a turn for the worse. Her doctors found severe swelling in her cerebrum and 15 tumors in her brain. We met with her doctors at Dana-Farber as well as a team of neurologists and had the very painful conversation that they cannot tell her for certain that this is something that chemotherapy will cure. And that she would only likely have 3-7 years
When Shannon was diagnosed originally, we were met with hope from her doctors and team at Dana Farber. They said things like “you’re going to beat this” and “you are going to live a long life.” This time around the tone has shifted and they have been very honest in saying now that “this will work until it doesn’t.” This a harsh reality we have been trying to process over the last few months. But in true Shannon fashion, she has done everything possible to find a way to beat this. Through her research, she has found some non-traditional avenues which are and will be costly, and she could have to move cross country to seek treatment if and when this current chemotherapy stops working.
I wish I could do more to help, but I am going to do what I do best — run! I will be running the Boston Marathon in April, and I will be running to raise money for Shannon so the least of her worries are costs to fight this disease. I want to thank each and every person who has supported Shannon throughout this fight. She is so incredibly lucky to have the kind of support you all show.
Editor’s note: This entry may have been lightly edited for clarity or grammar.
Kelly Chan
Kelly Chan is a content producer at Boston.com. She designs multimedia content on site and across social media platforms, and experiments with new ways to engage readers.
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