Mary’s Place by the Sea will host its 9th Annual Walk-A-Thon & 2nd Annual 5K VIRTUALLY on Saturday, October 3rd. Since beginning its mission in 2009, Mary’s Place by the Sea has supported over 10,000 women with cancer-free of charge, thanks to the generosity of donors and fundraising events like the annual walk/run.
Mary’s Place by the Sea is a non-clinical safe haven for women with cancer, where they can enjoy a break from their medical treatments and daily responsibilities. The beautiful 10-bedroom, custom-built, state-of-the-art home is located one block from the Atlantic Ocean in Ocean Grove. Guests of Mary’s Place can visit for a day or up to two nights, and take part in various services and programs such as oncology massage, meditation, yoga, reiki, counseling, nutritional education, and much more. In March of 2020, Mary’s Place by the Sea closed its doors temporarily to guests in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic. At that time, the organization pivoted its program to offer virtual service to women with cancer from across the country. In the month of August alone, over 400 guests participated in virtual services for the mind, body and soul.
The organization plans to reopen its doors to a limited number of guests the week of October 5th.
“We are grateful to all who have supported our organization through these trying times. The love and kindness of our community, paired with the generosity of our practitioners, have enabled us to care for our guests from a distance throughout the past several months. We are excited to announce that our doors will reopen to a limited number of guests this October, while taking all necessary safety precautions. We are hoping that our community will walk with us ‘together apart’ on October 3rd as we move toward reopening the doors to the women who so desperately need us,” said Executive Director Michele Gannon.
The Annual Walk-A-Thon & 5K typically hosts over 1,000 attendees. While the event will not be held in person this year, a kick-off to the event will be shared on Facebook Live at 10 AM on October 3rd. Individuals and teams are encouraged to walk in their respective locations (a suggested 2.5-mile course for walkers and 3.1-mile distance for the runners), and to share pictures and videos to help create awareness for the mission of Mary’s Place. For those who do not wish to walk or run, a donation goes a long way. Registration, sponsorships and virtual vendor spaces are available at runsignup.com/
“When I think about the fact that we are hosting our 9th Annual Walk and 2nd Annual 5K, awe of how this event has grown over the years, doubling in size and donations each year. This is a true testament to the women we serve daily, transforming their lives offering peace, love and joy. While we cannot be together on October 3rd, every person who supports this Virtual Event by walking, running, fundraising or donating is helping us to reopen the doors again!” said Clare Freda, Chair of the Walk-A-Thon Committee.
More about Mary’s Place by the Sea:
Mary’s Place by the Sea provides an innovative approach to caring for women during and after cancer treatment. Guests are provided with unconditional care during their time of extreme need at NO COST. Guests are welcome to rest and recuperate for a few hours or a few days, if needed. Some of the services offered to guests are oncology massage, nutritional counseling, guided meditation, yoga, strength training and in-room spa services. Mary’s Place by the Sea operates out of a ten-bedroom home, located at 22 Main Avenue in Ocean Grove, New Jersey. Since its beginning, Mary’s Place has served over 10,000 women with cancer. Mary’s Place by the Sea is a nonprofit 501(c) 3 organization. 