Casey Hammond Webber was born July 22, 2021, to the parents of my very good friends Molly and Taylor. Soon after birth, Casey was having difficulty breathing on his own and was transferred to Boston Children’s Hospital. Casey underwent numerous tests and procedures and was eventually diagnosed with a rare lung disease, Alveolar Capillary Dysplasia. At six months old, Casey received a second chance of life by undergoing a double lung transplant making him one of the youngest patients to receive a lung transplant in the history of BCH. After the transplant, Casey continued to fight through numerous complications but never gave up. However, on July 6, 2022, Casey passed away from complications after an infection. 

For 50 weeks, Casey called BCH home. He celebrated holidays, had milestones, laughed and cried within the walls of BCH. He spent time in every ICU department the hospital has. The staff at BCH became extended family and provided amazing care for Casey, and supported my friends in their time of need. I was in awe at the stories and pictures that were shared of their experiences. While Casey’s condition fluctuated, the one constant was the excellent care that BCH provided.

For these reasons, I have decided to continue fundraising for Boston Children’s Hospital and return for my third Marathon season by running in TWO Marathons this upcoming spring. Each race will be an opportunity to represent the checkered Blue and Orange BCH singlet with Casey pictured on my back. My first opportunity will be the Tokyo Marathon on March 2, 2025. This will be my third Abbot World Major Marathon on my quest to run all six Majors for BCH.  My second opportunity will be a return to the roads of Boston, where it all started, for the 129th running of the Boston Marathon on April 21, 2025.

To date we have raised over $36,000 in two Marathon seasons for Boston Children’s Hospital. I am asking you, my fabulous donors, to consider helping me reach the goal of raising $25,000 this year in an effort to raise over $60,000 total in three years.

Every dollar we raise will help fund the very best medical care, breakthrough research and vital support services for sick kids and their families. Your gift will:

• help children from your town and across the world get a second chance at life;
• give kids battling the most complex diseases care they can't find anywhere else;
• fuel 3,000+ researchers working to develop new treatments and cures;
• support patient programs, like music and art therapy, to let kids be kids, even during long hospital stays;
• help patient families in crisis with urgent needs, such as food, clothing and housing;
• deliver the most compassionate, leading-edge care to every child who needs it.