Geist resident Gregg Pellicone is taking a step in a new direction, and he knows it is the right one.

New to both marathons and fundraising, Gregg is tackling both by signing up for the Strides For Hope marathon, which raises money for The Wellness Community, an international non-profit organization dedicated to providing free support and education to people with cancer and their loved ones. He hopes to raise at least $3,500 by the April 27th Big Sur Marathon in California.

Gregg may be new to marathons and fundraising, but he is no stranger to the battle against cancer. Two grandparents, an uncle and a sister- in- law all lost the battle against cancer. Three other family members, including his mother, are cancer survivors. He says throughout much of his own mother’s difficult treatments, he felt like he didn’t know what to do to help.

“I felt like I had my head in the sand,” says Gregg. “It wasn’t until I attended a meeting with my mother at The Wellness Community that I opened my eyes to the fact that she needs more than just clinical treatments.

“They need love and emotional support — and that’s what The Wellness Community offers cancer patients and their loved ones,”explains Gregg.

About the time he learned about treatments and support, he also received a flier in the mail about the Strides for Hope run. Gregg knew it was a way for him to give back and offer more support. The 42-year-old Automotive Components Holdings employee says he has never run 26.2 miles, as required for the Strides of Hope Run. But he’s looking to friends and family members to cheer him on.

Then, if he can handle it, he wants to return home and run the Geist Half Marathon in May!

In the meantime, if you’d like to help with Gregg’s cause, your tax-deductible donations can be made online by going to www.twc-indy.org and clicking the “donate” button by March 15th. For more information, you can visit Gregg’s website at http://gpellicone.home.comcast.net.

Good luck, Gregg!

Popularity: 1% [?]