By Demetra Chornovas
Special to the Reporter

Brian McKinney recalls that it was at the twenty-five mile mark at Kenmore Square last Patriot's Day when he felt a surge of energy kick through his staggering legs as he gazed upon a group of spectators wearing Dana Farber jerseys cheer him towards the finish line. He says it was an amazing feeling. It was even more amazing that he completed the historic 26.2-mile race for the first time since being diagnosed with leukaemia five years earlier.

This will be the second consecutive year that McKinney will run the Boston Marathon with a team from Dana-Farber. He lay in a hospital bed five years ago, receiving treatments for chemotherapy when he made a promise to himself that when his health improved, he would give back to the foundation that helped him get through the worst days of his life. And that means raising money for cancer research.

At age twenty-six, McKinney was diagnosed with acute myeloblastic leukemia (AML), a rare cancer of the white blood cells. He says that the treatments completely changed his life. He started running after he recovered a year later. Now, at thirty-one, McKinney says he is not the best runner, but committed to raising money for Dana-Farber.

"I'm hoping for a better time this year, but finishing the race will be the ultimate accomplishment," says McKinney. He adds that aside from running the Boston Marathon for the second time, his greatest accomplishments include his twenty-two month-old son, Aidan, and second baby due in September &emdash; children McKinney thought would never be a possibility after chemotherapy. He works as the funeral director at O'Connor & Son Funeral Home on Adams Street.

"Dana Farber has been a huge part of my life. Being in the funeral business, I see how much cancer affects people and their families. We only hear the unfortunate results, but my children and I are living proof of what Dana-Farber can offer.

This will be the second consecutive year that Kevin Goslin will run the Boston Marathon, as well. He ran last year because his friend got him a number. When he arrived at the starting point in Hopkinton, he was moved by the amount of people running for charities. He decided at that moment that if he should run the marathon again, he would raise money for the MassGeneral Hospital Cancer Care for Children.

Goslin runs this year's marathon in memory of his nephew, Stephen Kenny, who passed away in February 2001 at age eight. On his seventh birthday, Stephen was diagnosed with adrenoleukodystrophy (ALD), a degenerative disorder that can lead to devastating neurological disorders. After undergoing a bone marrow transplant to treat his illness, Stephen returned home to Dorchester. He spent an extensive amount of time at MassGeneral Hospital Pediatrics Hematology/Oncology Unit, under the direction of the department's chief, Howard Weinstein, MD, and his staff. Goslin will run on Monday with the team Weinstein formed sixteen marathons ago.

"Two years ago, I never thought that I would be running the Boston Marathon, but seeing what Stephen and his mother went through, and the support that MGH provided them is extremely motivating," says Goslin.

Goslin says that he anticipates the most heartwarming and motivating moment throughout the race will be at the twenty-mile mark in Newton where his family, MGH staff, and Stephen's mother, Carole Trainor, will await his arrival to cheer him on.

"I am so grateful that Kevin is running this year with Dr. Weinstein's team. Kevin will be carrying my hopes with him along with his love for Stephen as he passes us and crosses the finish line. We have the chance to give back to a hospital that was really incredible to me and my family," says Trainor.

Goslin's hopes to raise $3000. To make an online donation, visit firstgiving.com/kgoslin.

McKinney hopes to raise $6000 that will benefit the Claudia Adams Barr Program Innovative Cancer Research at Dana-Farber. The program will match one hundred percent of the donations raised. Online donations are welcome at dfmarathon.kintera.org. Click on "Support a Runner" and enter Brian McKinney.