September 15, 2026 By Carol Britton Meyer
Hingham residents Anne Keane and Meryl Summers are heading to participate in the Sept. 27 Berlin Marathon, one of the six Abbott World Marathon Majors, to benefit Dana-Farber cancer research after training side-by-side, with the same goal of giving back.
“Meryl and I come to cancer research from very different places — I as a longtime Dana-Farber patient living with metastatic breast cancer, and Meryl as the mother of Adelia ‘The Wonder Girl,’ whose life and legacy have touched so many people in Hingham,” Keane told the Hingham Anchor. Adelia passed away in 2024 after being diagnosed with a rare pediatric brain cancer.
“Our friendship has grown out of something that, on the surface, seems pretty simple: running. But underneath that, we share a very personal reason for doing it,” Keane said. “We’ve both experienced firsthand how profoundly cancer affects families, and how important research is to changing what those experiences can look like in the future.”
Now the two women — who were introduced by mutual friends — are running the same 26.2 miles in Berlin to raise money for cancer research — “Meryl in honor of Adelia, and me in support of the research and care that have given me over a decade of additional time,” Keane shared.
Plans to run all six Marathons
Berlin is just the beginning! Keane and Summers have set their sights on running all six of the Abbott World Marathon Majors — “using each race as an opportunity to challenge ourselves, raise money for cancer research, and keep the conversation going. I have completed three of the six, and Meryl has just started.”
Completing all six Abbott World Marathon Majors is recognized with the prestigious Six Star Medal. Keane has completed three of the six — Boston, Chicago, and Tokyo — and Berlin will be her fourth.
Summers ran the Boston Marathon earlier this year and trained alongside Keane as she prepared for Tokyo. The two are now continuing their journey together in Berlin, with the goal of ultimately completing all six majors.
The two women will run to benefit Dana-Farber for all the races, with Meryl’s going toward the Brain Tumor Center, which merges Boston Children’s Hospital with Dana-Farber. All the money she raises will go through that fund directly to pediatric brain tumor research.
The money Anne raises goes to the Claudia Adams Barr program under Dana-Farber, designed to fund broad innovative cancer research for all types of cancer.
“By running in the different countries, I am checking a box that Adelia never got to do,” Summers said. “She had a specific list of places she wanted to travel to, and by bringing her there with me and sharing her with the world, I feel like I am fulfilling that dream she had.”
‘An amazing experience’
Running a marathon in another country is an amazing experience on its own, but for Keane, Berlin represents something even bigger.
“It’s another challenge where I get to test my body and see what’s possible, even while I’m still in active treatment for metastatic breast cancer,” she said.
Ten years ago, Keane never would have imagined that she’d be where she is today — traveling to another country to run 26.2 miles.
“I love that running has given me a way to keep challenging those expectations. I get to experience a new city, be part of this incredible global running community, and hopefully inspire other people to think a little differently about what’s possible. Doing it all while raising money for cancer research makes it even more meaningful.”
Beyond raising funds for cancer research, running “provides physical, emotional, and other benefits,” Keane said.
“Running with Meryl has turned into a therapy of sorts. We talk about things we have gone through. In addition, every time I return from a marathon, I feel a sense of accomplishment – a constant reminder of how fortunate I am to be alive and active.”
After Adelia’s passing, running also became a kind of therapy for Summers.
“Being such good friends with Anne is also a constant reminder of the importance of research,” she said.
When running a tough race in frigid temperatures, for instance, “and thinking, What am I doing out in this weather? I remember it’s so people like Anne can be here with us now and to raise money to research better treatments in the future,” Summers shared.
Keane and Summers are both on a journey to complete all six Abbott World Marathon Majors, with each race providing an opportunity to challenge themselves and raise money for cancer research.
For Keane, the next stop is the London Marathon next May, followed by the New York City Marathon in the fall of 2027. Summers will continue her own pursuit of the six majors while honoring Adelia through the Adelia Strong mission and her commitment to supporting cancer research.
Want to follow along on their journey? Find Anne at @adjewelry and Meryl at @adeliathewondergirl on Instagram for training, marathon adventures, and their continued efforts to raise money for cancer research.