Will McNamara's Fundraising Page
Page Creator: Will McNamara
Event: Boston Marathon 2010 (Team Eye and Ear)
Event Starts: Apr 19, 2010
Fundraising Page Image
Me & my mom after last year's marathon
About my nonprofit:
Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary
Since our founding in 1824, Mass. Eye and Ear has been guided by a focused mission “that the deaf may hear and the blind may see.” Today, our vision is to be the preeminent world-wide source of advances...
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Fundraising target: $10,000
So far I have raised: $2,251.19
Fundraising progress
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My personal message:

Here I am with my proud Mom, just after I finished last year's Boston Marathon in memory of my Dad! It was an unbelievable experience, and my mom made sure I had support all along the way, with friends and family at strategic spots.
 
Thank you to all of you, you inspired me to finish!
 
I am now training to run again for Team Eye and Ear for the 2010 Boston Marathon and ask that you once again support me in this endeavor. Last year everyone was very generous. My goal was to raise $5,000. and we far surpassed that, raising over $13,000!  This year I am setting my goal to $10,000 and hope to far exceed that as well.
 
I know that Mass. Eye and Ear is the place for me to raise funds for, as the research being done there that I hope will benefit me, and many others who have either lost their sight or will due to accidents like mine or degenerate diseases. With your help we will continue this research.

Here's to another successful year for Team Eye and Ear and the research they do!!

Many thanks for your support -- and don't forget to forward this to anyone who you think might want to donate too!  I Look forward to seeing you again along the way in April.

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WHY I'M RUNNING:
Will, 29, has once again joined Team Eye and Ear from Aspen, CO where he lives with his dog, Riva, a two-year-old Newfoundland.
 
Almost four years ago, Will had a mountain biking accident near Vail, Colorado.  As a result of the accident, he broke his back.  During surgery, Will had a stroke to the optic nerve in both eyes, leaving him legally blind and facing a new way of life.
 
Due to the special rehabilitation Will received while in Craig Hospital, a rehabilitation hospital in Colorado and support from friends and family, he walked out of the facility with only the aid of a cane.  He says, “I have two rods and many screws in my back, but my back has been fine, it’s been my eyes that hold me back.” 
 
“My family has been looking and we are all hoping for some kind of cure for my eyes.”  Last year, Will found Mass. Eye and Ear and Dr. Dean Cestari’s marathon team of nine members who were raising funds for neuro-ophthalmology research and knew it was a perfect match.
 
Will ran the 2009 Boston Marathon with Mass. Eye and Ear in memory of his father who he lost to cancer.  “As a family, we have raised lots of funds for cancer.  Now we think my dad would want us to do some fundraising for eye research and we feel we have found the right place . . . we are all looking for some type of cure for my eyes.”
 
Will is not new to giving back.  He uses his challenges to help others.  In addition to his fundraising activities, Will volunteers for Challenge Aspen, a non-profit organization that offers life changing experiences to individuals and groups with disabilities. 
 
Will attributes what he’s been able to overcome and accomplish due to the support from his friends and family including his mom, who lives in Scituate, MA and his younger sister, Becca, who lives in D.C. 
 
On April 19, Will will join the 49 other members of Team Eye and Ear for the 114th running of the Boston Marathon to raise funds for neuro-ophthalmology research, which he hopes will one day benefit him.


Online Sponsors to date:
Display Name Date Amount  Comment
Brian Goltz 2/5/2010 $50.00 Good Luck Willy 
Rebekah McNamara 2/3/2010 $26.20 Good luck. 
Aunty Bella 2/3/2010 $100.00 Your the man 
Ron & Nancy Standring 2/1/2010 $100.00 Best of luck from all of us! 
Anonymous 1/26/2010 $75.00 great work your involved with,go Will. 
Bob, Linda, and Madeline Kocher 1/25/2010 $300.00 We are all so proud of you Will!!! 
Ed Geary 1/22/2010 $100.00 Good luck, Will! 
Bryan and Debby Glennon 1/20/2010 $100.00 Good luck, Will! We are all rooting for you. 
Steve & Sue Buckley 1/19/2010 $100.00 Best of luck, Will. 
Kevin Roof 1/19/2010 $99.99 Kado wa migi ni magate kudisi - Will  
Colleen Glennon 1/19/2010 $100.00 Best of Luck Will!!  
Emily Weingart 1/15/2010 $100.00 Best of luck Will! You are incredible! 
Ryan and Nicole Angell 1/15/2010 $100.00 Hope to be at the finish line. Good luck pal.  
Mandy Norton 1/15/2010 $100.00 I'm so proud of you Will! You'll do so great this year!! 
Julie Hanrahan 1/15/2010 $100.00 You are an inspiration to us all! 
Gary and Kathy Goltz 1/15/2010 $100.00 Wishing you luck again this year, Will!! 
Keith Hapenney 1/15/2010 $100.00 Get er' done Willy! 
Deb& Becca McNamara 1/15/2010 $500.00 Go Will! We are proud of You! 
Verisign secure site-- click to verify
* Total raised online: $2,251.19
Amount raised offline: $0.00
Grand Total: $2,251.19
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