Running has been a defining part of my life. Through races, training, and countless miles, running has taught me discipline, perseverance, and how to push through life's toughest challenges, and now I am honored to channel that passion toward supporting a cause that has profoundly impacted my life. 

Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center holds a special place in my heart. Jill Spendjian, a life long best friend of my mom and a family figure and close friend to me, was a patient at Sloan for years where she battled lymphoma and underwent a bone marrow transplant in 2018. Thanks to her incredible doctors and care team, the transplant gave her and her family/friends something we never thought we would have, more time. While it was a long and difficult journey, she was here with us and able to experience life with us, much longer than anyone had anticipated when she was first diagnosed. 

Those years meant everything. She celebrated milestones we feared she would never see, including her 50th birthday, family holidays, trips to the beach with friends, accomplishments at work, and most importantly, she had more time with the people she loved. Sadly, her cancer returned in the Summer of 2025, and she passed away peacefully in January 2026. While losing her was heartbreaking, I will forever be grateful for the additional years Sloan Kettering gave her and her family/friends.

Jill was utterly and uniquely herself, she had the most uplifting fiery spirit. With every conversation, she made anyone she talked to feel like the most important person in the room. To know her was to absolutely love her, and to be loved by her was an incredible gift. Jill was indelible and while we miss her dearly, the love we have is bigger and her mark will most definitely live on. 

I feel passionate about supporting cancer research, but more specifically Sloan Kettering so they can continue to treat and provide more families and loved ones with incredible care and more time together. It is an honor to run alongside the Sloan team to support loved ones that were lost and provide further opportunities for life saving research, treatment, and care.

Every donation, no matter the size, helps create hope and more precious moments together. Thank you for supporting this mission and helping make a difference. #JillyFromPhilly