On April 16, I will be taking part in the 116th Boston Marathon (my first marathon ever!) as part of BIDMC’s Grateful Nation Marathon Team, raising much-needed funds for the Healthy Champions Program at Bowdoin Street Health Center (BSHC).

As a member of BIDMC’s Development Office and as a grateful patient here, I’ve seen firsthand the dedication, compassion, and just plain brilliance of the physicians, researchers, nurses, social workers, leaders, and other caregivers that make up this institution.  That combination of compassion and high-quality care is particularly evident at Bowdoin Street, one of the Medical Center’s affiliated community health centers. 

A cornerstone of Dorchester’s Bowdoin/Geneva neighborhood for nearly 40 years, BSHC provides comprehensive health care to more than 11,000 patients each year.  But in addition to offering its residents easy access to medical care, BSHC is also home to a number of programs that promote overall health and wellness—particularly critical in a community that is plagued by violence and facing epidemic levels of chronic conditions such as obesity, diabetes, and cardiovascular disease.  The Healthy Champions Program educates young people about healthy food and lifestyle choices while also encouraging them to take on leadership roles within the community and teach their peers about health and wellness issues.

While I know the road to 26.2 certainly won’t be easy, words can’t describe how excited I am to be part of this incredible event...and to be raising funds for a program that is having such a positive impact on kids and teens in the Bowdoin community. 

Your support at any level will help me reach my goal of $5,000—and bring me to the finish line on April 16!

Thank you so much!

Carmella

P.S....To send a check, please make the check payable to "BIDMC," put my name in the memo section, and mail to:

BIDMC
Office of Development
Kelly Wallace
330 Brookline Avenue (BR)
Boston, MA 02215