Running for Hope and raising a Voice to Beat Cancer

#CancerSucks

At the beginning of 2017, Andover resident Roger Desjardins, a member of Voices Of Hope and an avid runner set himself a goal for the year, to run 1000 miles and collect donations per mile to raise money for cancer research through Voices Of Hope.

Voices Of Hope is a group that started in 2009 to raise awareness and funds for research through theatrical performances. Since 2012 VOH has teamed up with the Henri and Belinda Termeer Center for Targeted Therapies at the Massachusetts General Hospital Cancer Center.

To date VOH has donated over $500,000 towards cancer research.

Roger joined Voices Of Hope four years ago when his son Chris was music director for their production of Godspell. His son asked if he would try out for the musical. “I did and I loved it”, Desjardins said, “I have made life long friends with VOH ”.

Because of Desjardins’ work schedule he no longer has the time to raise funds singing along with the 200 or so members that VOH has grown to. “I do have time to run and so I thought I would run and raise money for Voices Of Hope and the Termeer Center”.

Desjardins went on to say, “I thought if I could average 20 miles a week, I could run 1000 miles in a year. At the beginning I thought I could raise $5000.00 dollars and that was great. As I told people about my goal, it quickly went from $5,000.00 to $10,000.00 and I am very close to $15,000.00”.

As the end of November approached Desjardins was only one mile away from reaching his goal and he wanted to share that mile with his Voices Of Hope family. So on Sunday November 26th the VOH family and the Desjardins family gathered at the Voices Of Hope’s home, located in the Lawrence Everett Mill.

A one mile course was measured out in advance around the Mill area and Roger, along with a police escort and a group of VOH runners, set off for his final mile to victory. Afterwards a celebratory party was held in Desjardins’ honor at “The Nest”, the name affectionately given to the VOH headquarters.

One of the people in attendance there was Dave McGillvray, who has served as technical director, then race director of the BAA Boston Marathon since the 1980s. Dave has known the Desjardins family for a number of years. Roger connected Voices Of Hope with McGillvray to run and sing at a few of his running events in the past two years.

Speaking about Roger at the event McGillvray said, “I have a motto, it says set goals not limits and you certainly did. You didn’t do it for yourself, you did it for those who are in need and for organizations like Voices Of Hope.” He went on to say, “ I don’t know that I’ve met anybody more philanthropic and more giving than Roger Desjardins, You’re amazing.”

McGillvray presented Desjardins with an official Boston Marathon jacket to wear while he trains to run 26 miles next April.

VOH President and founder Greg Chastain presented Desjardins with the news that the Boston Celtics will be honoring Roger as one of their “Heroes Among Us” on January 5th at the Boston Garden.

Desjardins has, in eleven months, raised nearly $15,000 in pledges for his 1,000 mile run for cancer research.

Afterwards, speaking about Roger’s accomplishment Chastain said,

“With every step of Roger’s incredible 1,000 mile achievement he honored the strength and resilience of individuals meeting the tremendous challenges cancer brings. We are honored by this significant donation, and in awe of his dedicated effort.”

Voices Of Hope was conceived by Greg Chastain, who lost his mother in 2009 after a long battle with pancreatic cancer. Voices Of Hope is comprised of local volunteer performers—all whose lives have been touched by cancer—to raise money for cancer research through annual musical shows, galas, and charity events.

As 2017 closes out, the folks at Voices Of Hope are already at work planning two big fundraising productions for next year. On May 5th they will present the musical Working. With songs by STEPHEN SCHWARTZ (Wicked, Pippin,Godspell), JAMES TAYLOR and new music by LIN MANUEL MIRANDA (Hamilton, In The Heights).

And on October 13th VOH will present it’s 10th Annual Fall Gala "A Decade Of Hope"—a mix of their best of Broadway and Beyond over the last 10 years.

For more info on Voices Of Hope or to donate please visit the VOH Website at:

http://www.voicesofhopeboston.org/

And for ticket info for the 2018 VOH shows visit the North Shore Music Theater website:

http://www.nsmt.org/concerts.html