The 2022 TCS New York City Marathon will be a very special event for me, not only because it will be my first marathon ever, but mostly because I will be running to support an amazing cause. I am proud to be a member of team Tell Every Amazing Lady® to raise awareness about ovarian cancer.

To me, running a marathon is like a life journey: it is unknown, challenging, and it tests physical strength and mental resilience. I hope that at the end it will also give me a lot of joy and a sense of achievement.  

A few years ago, when I was going through a different journey, the one from cancer to recovery, I would not have thought that I would be able to run a marathon. Slowly and gradually, running became my new journey, allowing me to feel no boundaries and giving me a sense of freedom. I am still finding out where it will take me. 

Being one of thousands of women affected by ovarian cancer, I want to Tell Every Amazing Lady® that they can, that there is hope. Those amazing ladies who are going through the battle with the disease should never give up. One of the best pieces of advice that I received was from my doctor, who told me that positive attitude and belief in a successful outcome is key to recovery. I can attest to that. Step by step, mile-by-mile, gradually, we can win the battle. 

If I could make a significant change in the fight against this disease, I would make testing for ovarian cancer part of preventive care. I believe that early detection on a larger scale would make a considerable difference.    

Running for T.E.A.L.® will allow me to make at least a small difference and support this amazing cause.

Very good friends of mine are highly active in Tell Every Amazing Lady® and have always encouraged me to participate. Unfortunately, moving to Colorado has limited my ability to get involved in such a wonderful cause. I’m proud to finally be able to support this charity in the way it deserves. 

Above all else, I want to have fun while running my first TCS New York City Marathon. This marathon is a bucket list item and I can’t wait to run through every borough that our great city has to offer. Making it even more special, I get to run it with my sister and I get to support a fantastic charity.  

I enjoy the mental challenge of running. There are often times when our brain makes us believe we can’t go any further. I love pushing through that, enduring the discomfort and proving to myself that I can do anything. It’s freeing once you know that you are stronger than you think you are. It opens up endless possibilities.    

It goes without saying that I wish cancer (in general) did not exist. A realistic change would be to have the world focus on research more. If our collective minds, data, and funds were pooled together, we would make faster progress towards a cure. Spreading awareness and raising funds for T.E.A.L.® is a small way in which I can participate in making this change.  

To those fighting ovarian cancer, please know that we are sending you all our love and support. Stay strong and fight hard. You are not alone.  

To all the amazing ladies in the world, don’t take your health for granted. Make sure you have annual check ups, and listen to your body. Educate yourself and take control of your future.    

I want to say a big thank you to all who are involved with this organization. Keep up the good work and know that you are making a difference in your community. Your efforts are much appreciated. 

I got involved with T.E.A.L.® through a friend who has been supporting T.E.A.L.® for several years and knows all the hard work that they do.

My goal for the TCS New York City Marathon is that I want to keep running all the time, I’m gonna try not to walk.

Running makes me feel strong and helps me clear my mind. It makes me feel that by working hard and pushing myself a little more I can get out of my comfort zone and reach new physical and mental goals.

If I could make a difference in one thing related to ovarian cancer, I would like there to be a rule in hospitals or medical services where all women have to know the signs for early detection and symptoms of ovarian cancer. I’d want more campaigns and information about it available.

My message for every amazing lady about ovarian cancer is this: Taking care of ourselves and helping to take care of other women by sharing the information we have about ovarian cancer is very important. Going regularly to the doctor for checkups should be a priority in our lives.

This is my first marathon and also my first time doing a fundraiser. The satisfaction I feel for being able to contribute in a small way for such a special cause will stay with me forever. 

I was doing some runs in the thick of the pandemic to raise money for other charities in the city and I met a run coach named Kai @runcoachkai during some of those events and he mentioned T.E.A.L.® He connected me with T.E.A.L.® and I completed my first marathon for T.E.A.L.® in 2021.

My goal for the 2022 marathon is to raise more resources and awareness for T.E.A.L.® and also complete the marathon faster than I did last year. I am aiming to complete it in 3 hours and 40 minutes but if I get under 4 hours I will be content and of course if I can do faster that’s even better.

I started running simply as a way to relieve stress and as a form of working out that got me back in touch with the outdoors. New York City doesn’t offer much nature, but what it lacks in trees it has abundance of in culture and community. I did not expect to love running as much as I do but it has brought me peace and an amazing connection to the city and the people in it.

If I could change one thing it would be to find a cure for all cancers but we’re not there yet so for now I would create as much awareness as possible in the hopes that more investment can be made in the research and support of those dealing with ovarian cancer.

I would say to every amazing lady that there is always hope and that there a lot of us with love and determination in our hearts to help defeat this disease. We are running hard in the hopes to help make ovarian cancer a thing of the past.

I am truly honored to be able to run for T.E.A.L.® and to do my small part in helping those fighting ovarian cancer. My Aunt Ann passed away from cancer at a young age and she gives me the energy and strength to help others dealing with this hardship. I hope my efforts can bring some assistance and hope to the women and their families facing ovarian cancer.

My name is Spencer McGregor and I am running my first NYC marathon with T.E.A.L.® in memory of the organization’s co-founder, my mom, Louisa M. McGregor. As a teenager growing up in a household with a sick parent, you find ways to release stress. For me, going to the gym, hanging out with friends, and working towards obtaining the rank of Eagle Scout were those outlets. Running was something I occasionally did to work on cardio or just let off some steam…until now. My wife was supposed to run the NYC Marathon in 2020 and I decided I wanted to join her (because who doesn’t want to run 26.2 miles?!). Thanks to COVID, we had to postpone until this year. We just had a baby and you know what they say… giving birth is like running a marathon. Hopefully the 26 hours of labor was good prep for our 26 miles of running.

I work for the Department of Sanitation, which means every day is a great workout. Being one of New York’s Strongest keeps me motivated to meet those miles. Sometimes, when training gets tough, I think of my mom and her battle with cancer and the miles immediately become painless. I can’t wait to feel the energy of the crowd throughout the city where I was born and raised and cross the finish line representing T.E.A.L.®.

My goal is to raise awareness of the early signs and symptoms of ovarian cancer and prevent other families from experiencing the hurt and loss that mine did. 

Mom, this one’s for you… and my daughter, your namesake.