From 'Race For Research' to the 'Rock 'n' Roll'

This fall, Charlotte Wegrzyn and her family will be running in their 6^th Chicago MMRF Race for Research as Team Camille’s Wings. Each year the family runs in honor of Charlotte’s mom, Camille, who passed away in February 2006 from multiple myeloma. “When I saw that the MMRF had a team for the Chicago Rock ‘n’ Roll Half Marathon, it was a no brainer and I signed up immediately!” Charlotte says. “This will be my first half marathon, and doing it with the MMRF PowerTeam has me very proud and excited.”

Team Camille’s Wings has raised over $50,000 for the MMRF so far, and last year Charlotte received the Torrance Campbell MMRF Spirit of Hope Award, which she recalls as one of her proudest moments. She looks forward to many more years of running for the MMRF, and we are more than thrilled to have Charlotte and her passionate family on the team!!!

Project Make a Difference

Annie Stitt first got the idea to run in the Chicago Rock ‘n’ Roll Half Marathon in her social media marketing class at DePaul University. The students’ final project was to use social media to “make a difference” somehow. Annie's mom just recently passed away after a 5 year battle with multiple myeloma, so running for the MMRF was a no-brainer. Annie surpassed her fundraising goal of $2000 so quickly that she extended it to $4000! Though at first she claimed that she could “barely run a mile without being in horrible pain,” Annie took on the challenge of running 13.1 miles and dedicating her project to her mom!

Respect and Loving Support

Mike Provenzano joined the MMRF PowerTeam, because he has seen how this disease affects the lives of patients as well as their loved ones. His wife Peggy’s first husband, Brian, lost his battle to multiple myeloma 3 years after his diagnosis. Jack Aiello was diagnosed at the same time as Brian, and and it was he who introduced Mike to the MMRF. Mike feels “humbled by their determination to beat the odds and the loving support they receive,” and now he too supports them by running in the Chicago Rock ‘n’ Roll Half Marathon! “Out of respect for and in honor of Brian, Jack and several others, I am inspired to leverage my passion for running to raise funds for the MMRF that will aid in the taming and eradication of this disease once and for all.”

Doing "Something" to Help!

The Chicago Rock ‘n’ Roll Half Marathon will be Kathryn Maguire’s first race for a cause. Though she is a busy working mom of 3 and the task of fundraising seemed daunting at first, she took on the challenge for her dad and her uncle, who were diagnosed with multiple myeloma within 2 years of each other. “Many family and friends of loved ones with cancer feel helpless and want to do 'something' to help,” she says. “I decided instead of feeling helpless my 'something' to help would be in the form of raising money and awareness for Multiple Myeloma.”

            Though running for a cause seemed overwhelming at first, Kathryn has met many people along the way, and their inspiring stories make her glad she signed up! She was particularly impacted by Kathy Guisti’s story. “[Kathy] is an amazing person who has impacted thousands of lives,” she says. “I am proud to say I am part of this organization.” This organization could not make so great an impact without people like Kathryn who are driven to do “something” for the goal we share: “eradicating multiple myeloma.”

Thankful for the Extra Time

Alysha Totemwongs is running for the PowerTeam out of appreciation for the work done by the MMRF. In 2003, her father was diagnosed with multiple myeloma, and he was admitted to City of Hope hospital where he received a successful stem cell transplant. Now, “his cancer is currently in remission and he just celebrated a birthday and 8 years of being cancer free,” she reports. Alysha is grateful for the advances in treatment that have extended his father’s life, and and she is using the extra time she's been given well.

This Time It's Personal



Stephanie Limb has run for cancer charities before- 3 half marathons to be exact- but this time it’s personal. In June 2010, her mom was diagnosed with multiple myeloma and has since undergone a series of treatments, including a grueling stem cell transplant, with great bravery. “Mum is a fighter and I am doing my part to support her,” she says. Running the half marathon, Stephanie hopes to “kick cancer’s a** and tell it it’s not welcome here!”