The 130th running of the Boston Marathon featured a number of runners with MGH Institute connections. That includes two runners who were raising funds for the Institute’s Marjorie K. Ionta PT Center for Clinical Education and Health Promotion.
The experience was new for Annie Veo DPT ’26, who finished her first marathon and is closing in on her fundraising goal to support the Center where she helped clients relearn how to move following strokes, brain injuries, Parkinson’s disease, multiple sclerosis, spinal cord injuries, and other life-changing diagnoses. 

“I’m so grateful I finished my first marathon and running it for the PT center was so special,” said Veo. “Thank you so much to everyone who made this possible!”

Read more about Veo’s reasons for running and help her surpass her fundraising goal.

For nurse practitioner Mary Jane Grier, it was her 12th marathon but the first time she has run the Boston Marathon.

“There was something uniquely special about this marathon,” said Grier. “I’ve wanted to run Boston for over a decade and to finally have the opportunity made me surprisingly emotional! I didn't have the usual anxious feelings I get before a race. All I felt was joy! It was a perfect day! And getting to celebrate with family after made the whole experience something I will always cherish.”

Read more about why she ran for Team IHP and support her fundraising efforts. 

In addition to Veo and Grier, several other students, alumni, faculty, and staff took part in the historic race.  Current students Madeline Dombroski, in her second year in the Physician Assistant Studies program and second-year Doctor of Physical Therapy student Samantha Cathie ran on Monday, as did Department Coordinator and Project Specialist in the Office of Student Affairs and Services Ronan Cambell and Physical Therapy Lab Instructor Fatema Kanchwala, who is also an MGH Institute alumna. Other alumni who ran include physical therapy alums Casey Schweber, Hannah Jensen, and Kate Kirson who ran for the Spaulding Rehabilitation’s Race for Rehab team, and DPT alumna Lauren Albert.