Running the Boston Marathon for BHCHP (pt.1)
Below, you will find short profiles of runners representing Team BHCHP at the 129th Boston Marathon taking place on April 21, 2025. We hope these stories will inspire you to cheer our team as they get closer to completing the iconic 26.2 miles and doing so with the single goal of raising critical funds to serve our 11,000 patients.
Our heartfelt gratitude to the Bank of America Boston Marathon Official Charity Program for enabling BHCHP to field its own running team and be part of this wonderful local and global celebration of sport, friendship and community. To help with our Marathon fundraising project, click here.
Fr. John Predmore, 3rd Boston Marathon
I began running three years ago when I thought about running the first marathon for BHCHP. I was inspired to do more than pray and I thought I had to do something real and tangible. There was a thought going through my mind: Don’t pray. Act! I was motivated to see if I could represent the unhoused people through some concrete action.
BHCHP has done tremendous good in the local Boston area and it serves as a model for national programs. It fits in so well with the Catholic Church’s care for those on the margins of society and those who are the most disadvantaged. I’ve also seen how they provide compassionate, dignified care and lift up the dignity of the person for all to see. A surprising reality is that those who receive medical care from BHCHP facilities often receive better care than the average citizen.
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As a priest, I hear stories of heartache and rejection from many people who once experienced homelessness or had a family member become without a home for a period of time. I want people to see those who are unhoused without the lens of ideologies that make them “other” than the rest of us.
I hear so many people talk about the homeless as a class or an entity rather than a person who struggles within the system. We need to break down ideological positions so that we encounter humanity and find each other loved by God and lovable to us. We need to understand root causes including mental health, addictions, and psychological impediments to full human flourishing. We need to help each person be the best person possible within one’s capabilities.
Connor Schoen, 1st Boston Marathon
I started running when I was about 10 years old with my mom. In many ways, I was raised to run. I grew up hearing stories of my parents running the Boston Marathon so running it has been one of my lifelong dreams.
Since 2018, I have worked with the BHCHP team through my work at Breaktime, a Boston-based nonprofit working to break the cycle of young adult homelessness. My career over the last seven years has been completely dedicated to the issue of homelessness (specifically for young adults), and I have gotten to know hundreds of folks with lived experience through this process. Their stories and experiences are inspiring me to run and getting me through the hard long runs in the training process.
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Individuals experiencing homelessness are confronting some of the most challenging issues of anyone in our communities, and they deserve our love, support, and attention. In my work, I am particularly focused on preventing chronic homelessness by equipping young adults with the job and financial security they need to achieve housing security.
BHCHP is opening a clinic for young adults experiencing housing insecurity at Breaktime’s new building in Downtown Boston. This partnership is incredibly exciting to me because it will help tremendously in increasing the accessibility, utilization, and comprehensiveness of health services for the young adults we support at Breaktime. I cannot wait to partner with BHCHP!
Alexis Strahan, 1st Boston Marathon
Running has always been a way to get outside & challenge myself! In 2019 I began running half marathons to build endurance and connect with running communities. As a recent New England transplant, the Boston Marathon had always felt like the heartbeat of the city – a time each Bostonian talks about with such fondness and reverence! An event of true unity and joy. I am in Boston for the next four years (or more) as I complete my medical residency training & made it a personal goal to run the Boston Marathon if the opportunity presented itself. How lucky am I to do it for BHCHP?
I was first a nurse practitioner at a federally qualified health center in Georgia caring for a large proportion of our cities’ unhoused population. This experience completely changed my career trajectory by introducing me to this remarkable population. As a medical resident at MGH, I have the absolute privilege of caring for the individuals who trust MGH with their care – many of whom are those experiencing homelessness and engage with BHCHP.
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Running the marathon represents a thank you to every BHCHP team member and individual who trusted me to be a part of their care. I am honored to be just one small part of continuing the impact this organization has on the Boston community and beyond.
From my experience, people experiencing homelessness face burdens in so many facets of life – shelter, food insecurity, access to healthcare, access to education, mental health services, societal stigmatization – yet those I’ve had the privilege to meet and care for also have stories of hope, perseverance, and a generosity like no other. The fight to end homelessness is multifaceted but important and a human rights issue. Every person deserves access to basic needs like shelter, food, and safety. By building awareness, we can help break down the stigma and misconceptions that surround homelessness and address the systemic issues that contribute to it.
