Personal Fundraiser

 This is the donation page for the big C marathon event.

100% of donations will go towards cancer research. We have partnered with Fred Hutch for the fifth year in a row, so that we can help them continue their amazing research, and all of the proceeds from this event will go directly towards funding their projects with the 'greatest need'.

Please visit www.thebigcmarathon.com for more information.

OUR STORY:

After her own ‘big C’ diagnosis in 2016, Cat Schwartz founded the big C marathon, with all proceeds from the race being donated to cancer research. It is a run to remind all of us to set goals, to break scary things down into smaller, more easily-digestible pieces, to keep moving forward, to hold our loved ones in our hearts, and to do something that might be terrifying with dignity – and maybe even a smile.

This year, because of the pandemic, The Big C Marathon will be run virtually.  When the pandemic hit many of my cancer friends and I had the same reaction: welcome to our world.  Suddenly, everyone was in a state of not-knowing, there was a fear of death, trips were cancelled and not rebooked because the future was uncertain.  There was only the present.  The Big C Marathon was born out of this kind of situation. I had to cancel my big, planned-on travel marathon because of my diagnosis and treatment.  I knew I only had a window of time -the present- to run another marathon ( maybe my last ) and because of the uncertainty of treatment it needed to be close to home.  Voilá – The Big C Marathon.     

The Big C Marathon has been run in early December every year since 2016, and has always started and finished at Cockrell Cider Farm in Puyallup.  The farm was a place of healing for me during my treatment and recovery.  So, in this year of the pandemic The Big C Marathon has new meaning for everyone  Let’s run in places that feed our minds and bodies.  Let’s start and finish in locales that speak to us personally.  Let’s share the experience with just one or two friends – kept at a distance only physically.  Then, let’s celebrate our experiences remotely but with great enthusiasm.  Let’s heal.

Also, feel free to check out this fantastic article covering our inaugural event featured in The News Tribune: https://www.thenewstribune.com/outdoors/article117602133.html