Dana-Farber employee lacing up to run virtual B.A.A. 5K

Alison Hennig, a cancer registrar at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, is going beyond her job description this spring and helping the Institute in its mission to defy cancer by running the virtual B.A.A. 5K® with team Dana-Farber this April. She was inspired to join the Dana-Farber team to deepen her connection with the Dana-Farber mission, purpose, and community. Through her role—which involves working with Dana-Farber’s Population Sciences division to manage cancer data related to diagnoses, treatments, outcomes, and surveillance for Dana-Farber patients—Alison sees firsthand how fundraising efforts from events like the B.A.A. 5K are helping Dana-Farber physicians and researchers make progress and uncover breakthroughs that are improving the lives of patients and families around the world.

Alison has been a runner for many years of her adult life, completing a marathon, half marathons, and many 5Ks and runs for fitness and fun. Though she has always enjoyed running, her connection to cancer is what motivates her to run for Dana-Farber. “It is especially meaningful for me to run with the Dana-Farber team on behalf of several family members and friends who have battled cancer,” she says. “It’s a way for each of us to share our journey with all its highs and lows, whether that’s a cancer journey or a running journey.”

Alison is excited to join the Dana-Farber team in spirit as she runs her 5K from home this April and is grateful to have the opportunity to provide her colleagues with funds that will help them find new treatment options and cures for cancer. “I am able to observe the cutting-edge research, clinical trials, and lifesaving oncology therapies that happen at Dana-Farber every day,” Alison shares. “People come here from around the world because it is one of the top cancer research facilities, and I couldn’t be prouder to give back and be a part of this community, both as a runner and a team member.”

Support runners like Alison and make a donation to Dana-Farber’s B.A.A. 5K team today. Your donation will support The Dana-Farber Campaign, our ambitious, multi-year fundraising effort to prevent, treat, and defy cancer. The Dana-Farber Campaign will accelerate the Institute’s strategic priorities by supporting revolutionary science, extraordinary care, and exceptional expertise. As a community, we have the power to create a more hopeful, cancer-free future—in Boston and around the world. Together, we can defy cancer at every turn. Learn more about The Dana-Farber Campaign and how you can get involved at DefyCancer.org.