His brother passed away from glioblastoma. He’s running Boston for cancer research

“The grant will support researchers at Massachusetts General Hospital who study how glioblastoma evolves.”

Colin Gerner is running the 2026 Boston Marathon. (Photo courtesy of Colin Gerner)

April 10, 2026 | 7:00 AM

1 minute to read

In our “Why I’m Running” series, Boston Marathon athletes share what’s inspiring them to make the 26.2-mile trek from Hopkinton to Boston. Looking for more race day content? Sign up for Boston.com’s pop-up Boston Marathon newsletter.

Name: Colin Gerner
Age: 34
From: Hoboken, New Jersey

In 2018, my brother GJ was diagnosed with glioblastoma – the most common and aggressive form of brain cancer. GJ battled hard for 25 months before passing away on September 17, 2019 at just 30 years old.

During that time, my family saw firsthand how relentless this disease is and how few treatment options exist. Survival rates haven’t meaningfully improved in decades, and too many patients are still facing the same prognosis.

After GJ’s diagnosis, we decided to change that. GJ and I founded StacheStrong, a nonprofit named after the mustache he grew to lighten the mood before brain surgery. What started as a family mantra and a way to honor my brother’s perseverance has grown into a national organization that has raised millions of dollars for innovative and impactful brain cancer research.

I’m running the 2026 Boston Marathon to support that mission and am currently the No. 2 global fundraiser for the race. This has allowed us to announce a $1,000,000, five-year grant, awarded by StacheStrong and the V Foundation for Cancer Research to accelerate research. The grant will support researchers at Massachusetts General Hospital who study how glioblastoma evolves, identify new ways to target it, and develop more effective, longer-lasting treatments.

The first marathon I ran helped raise $50,000, launched StacheStrong, and GJ joined me for the last six miles – in the middle of treatment. Since then, StacheStrong has grown to 150+ global marathon runners supporting brain cancer research.

That NYC Marathon is still the most special run of my life, but the 2026 Boston Marathon will be the most impactful as I eclipse $200,000 fundraised to fully fund year one of the grant – all invested right here in Boston. For me, this is one step (or 26.2 miles) closer to flipping the script on brain cancer.

Editor’s note: This entry may have been lightly edited for clarity or grammar.

Annie Jonas is a Community writer at Boston.com. She was previously a local editor at Patch and a freelancer at the Financial Times.

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