In our “Why I’m Running” series, Boston Marathon runners share what’s inspiring them to make the 26.2-mile trek from Hopkinton to Boston on April 15, 2019.

Name: Daunielle Ricardi

Age: 36

From: Charlestown, Massachusetts

Bib #: 25552

You can only prevent so many bad things in life. Melanoma may be one of them.

I thought I knew what skin cancer was, but I didn’t know until I was a nurse that melanoma is the deadliest form, and that skin cancer is the most common form of cancer in the U.S.

I have had the honor of taking care of some wonderful people during their cancer treatments. One AMAZING young woman in particular I treated two years ago for melanoma. She’s an athlete, hilarious, was in school for her Nurse Practitioner degree, and was being treated for cancer. She went from being my patient to my friend. With everything she went through, she decided to run the Boston Marathon to prevent more people from becoming a cancer patient. I have run the Boston Marathon before, but she inspired me to run one more time. She crushed cancer, she crushed the marathon, and she crushed getting the word out there to prevent Melanoma. I run this year because of and for her, for all my patients, and truly for all of us. It’s not enough to treat cancer, when I know it’s possible to help others PREVENT cancer.


I am raising money to help promote education, awareness, and skin protection programs, like sunscreen available in parks and at events such as the Boston Marathon! IMPACT Melanoma can help come up with community and individual solutions with enough funding and support from YOU. Keep yourself and your loved ones safe. Together, we can make an IMPACT. You can only prevent so many bad things in life, melanoma may be one of them.

Check out our entire “Why I’m Running” series.

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Editor’s note: Entry may have been lightly edited for clarity or grammar.