Blakefield alumnus runs coast to coast for cancer survivors

One may think running 3,400 miles from California to Rhode Island would form a blister or two on a runner’s feet. Not so for one Loyola Blakefield, Towson, alumnus who changed running shoes every 100 miles to ensure his feet were as comfortable and fresh as possible during a five and a half month run to raise money for cancer survivors.

“Blisters and foot soreness were not an issue,” said the slender Christian McEvoy, 24, who spoke to students at his alma mater, the School of the Cathedral in Homeland, Feb. 28. “I had some slight body aches and injuries, but nothing really stopped me.”

Fueling Mr. McEvoy’s step-by-step momentum was a sizeable motive – cancer. Deeply affected by a friend’s mother’s diagnosis with breast cancer, the former English teacher (who quit his job to run) said he was looking for a project to help his friend and his friend’s mom, “so I ran. That situation taught me that a single cancer diagnosis affects more than just one life. It really showed me the gravity of the situation.”

Resting only one day a week, the blond-haired runner averaged a little less than a marathon daily. He and his team slept in an R.V., complimentary hotel rooms and home stays across America.

“It was the life!” he said. “My favorite state was Kansas. The hospitality our team received there was unparalleled.”

With ample time to reflect while covering hundreds of miles of topography, Mr. McEvoy said he thought about God quite a bit. “I am sure I could not have made it without some sort of divine protection,” he admitted. “Mostly, I spoke to God and asked for strength, courage and endurance to complete the task.”

The coast-to-coast run drew attention to the needs of cancer survivors, and Mr. McEvoy used it as a fundraiser.

The runner has raised $242,000 (as of March 2) with pledges continuing through Mr. McEvoy’s Web site, www.coasttocoastrun.org. He is the president of Coast to Coast: A Run for Survivorship, an organization whose primary beneficiary is The Yale Cancer Center in Connecticut.

“When I began my run on July 1, 2006, there were an estimated 10 million American cancer survivors. Now, there are 11 million,” Mr. McEvoy wrote on the site. “Our team had 10 millions reasons to begin this adventure. Now, we have 11 million reasons to start the next one.”

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