Mary Park lost her life to brain cancer just three weeks after her initial diagnosis. The next year, in 2013, her husband Bill and their two sons established two events in her honor, coping with their loss by giving back to the community. These included the Miles for Mary 5k Run/Walk in their hometown of Marblehead, Mass. and a lecture given by Elizabeth Gerstner, MD, a physician-scientist at Mass General, to promote awareness of her innovative brain cancer research and advancements in the field. These events raised more than $50,000 for brain cancer research at Mass General and provided much-needed solace for the Park family and for others in their community who had lost loved ones to cancer.
Bill and his sons plan to continue the events annually as a tribute to Mary and other patients facing this complex illness. Their efforts are advancing brain cancer research and awareness, helping to ensure that other families will not have to suffer a similar loss in the future.
