MEDFORD NAMES AMERICAN LUNG ASSOCIATION AS CHARITY PARTNER

WICKED LOCAL MEDFORD

The American Lung Association was recently named a charity partner for the Medford2Medford virtual running event, powered by DMSE Sports.

Registration is now open to runners or cyclists of any skill level, who are committed to taking on one of three challenges: Massachusetts2Medford (142 miles), Mississippi2Medford (1,258 miles), or Medford2Medford (3,452 miles). All mileage will be logged virtually and all funds raised by the American Lung Association runners will go toward the mission to save lives by improving lung health and preventing lung disease and lung cancer through advocacy, education, and research, including COVID-19.

“The Medford2Medford run is a cornerstone event for the American running community,” said Karen Whitefield, executive director of the American Lung Association in Massachusetts. “As a national organization with offices in Oregon, in Massachusetts, and everywhere in between, we are a well-matched charity partner for runners who want to support healthy air and healthy lungs. Runners have a unique understanding and appreciation for lung health. Those that join our team will have the opportunity to do what they love, while supporting lung health for everyone.”

The M2M event is modeled after Dave McGillivray’s 1978 run from Medford, Oregon, to Medford, Massachusetts. McGillivray is a road race director, philanthropist, author, and athlete who first ran across the U.S. to benefit the Jimmy Fund and Dana-Farber Cancer Institute. This year’s run kicked off on June 11 — 42 years to the day when McGillivray departed Medford, Oregon — and ceremonially ends 80 days later on Aug. 29. DMSE Sports has partnered with ReSport — a platform for advanced mapping, results and race tracking — to provide M2M participants with real-time updates on their progress along the virtual course. As team members input their miles into the event’s tracking platform, they’ll instantly see their team’s progress along the course line.

“Virtual road races of all distances are giving self-isolating people a reason to get out the door and be active,” said McGillivray, president of DMSE Sports. “With the American Lung Association as one of our charity partners, participants can stay healthy while supporting an organization whose mission is to protect our right and ability to breathe healthy air and rid the world of lung diseases, like lung cancer and COVID-19.”

To register for the Lung Association team, visit http://medford2medford.com and select American Lung Association as the charity of choice.

Registration for the event is open at https://medford2medford.com.