Julia Timpf
Event: TCS New York City Marathon
Date: November 1, 2026
Fred’s Team Participant for: This is my first year
Last year, just 15 hours before going into labor with her first baby, my sister was diagnosed with breast cancer. Less than a month after that, she underwent a double mastectomy at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center (MSK).
This year, I will be running the 2026 TCS New York City Marathon with Fred’s Team, the official running program of MSK. This will be my first ever marathon and a chance for me to raise as much as I can to support cancer research. This race represents so much more to me than 26.2 miles. It is deeply personal.
MSK was incredible throughout my sister’s treatment. I will never forget the care, expertise, and compassion they showed our family during such a truly scary and tumultuous time. Because of MSK, my sister is now cancer-free. They gave her the opportunity to be a mother to my adorable little nephew, and I feel so grateful to be able to run this race to support their research in return.
Cancer has impacted my family in more ways than one. My mom and my aunt have also both faced breast cancer, which makes this cause feel even closer to home. I am also part of MSK’s RISE program, which helps monitor and support those of us with a higher-risk family history, and it gives me access to the tools and screening to be proactive about my own health.
Around the time of my sister’s diagnosis, I started running as a way to cope with everything going on. What began as a coping mechanism quickly turned into something I fell in love with. Now, getting to run with Fred’s team feels like a full-circle moment.
100% of Your Donation Supports Research
Named in honor of New York City Marathon co-founder and MSK patient Fred Lebow, Fred's Team brings together passionate runners and supporters to lead the way against cancer. 100% of the funds I raise will go directly into MSK labs, where doctors and scientists have expertise in more than 400 types of cancer and work every day to find new cures.
Donate Today
Supporting this cause means more to me than I can fully put into words. Every donation helps fund the research and care that made a difference in my sister’s life and in so many others.
Thank you for helping me turn something deeply personal into something meaningful.
-Julia
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