2012 Samaritans Marathon Team

Running the distance for suicide prevention!

Thanks to the John Hancock Marathon Non-Profit Program, American Medical Response, and two long-time Samaritans supporters, our Marathon Team has grown tremendously this year to thirteen runners for this year's Boston Marathon to be held on Monday, April 16th! These numbers will be used to raise much-needed funds and awareness for suicide prevention. As part of the program, our runners are expected to raise a minimum of $5000 each, as established by John Hancock, and all funds will benefit Samaritans life-saving services. Last year's Marathon Team of ten runners raised an incredible $58,000 and we know, with three additional runners, that this year's team can build upon its success!

Samaritans is pleased to announce our 2012 Marathon Team. Please contact This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it with questions or comments about our team. Thank you.

Our 2012 Runners:

Marc Bellanger

Marc is a Senior Vice President of Marketing at The Kessler Group in Boston.  He lives with his wife Suzanne and two kids, Claudie and Gavin, in Westwood, MA. He enjoys traveling together with is family – especially to visit family in France.  After the suicide of his father in 2003, Marc was looking for a way to could help others avoid the pain and confusion of suicide.  He was also looking for a community that could help him personally cope with his father’s suicide.  The Samaritans provided both.  Since his initial involvement as 5K Team Captain in 2004 (and every year since), Marc volunteered in a number of ways, including as a board member since 2005.  Although Marc has run in many shorter-distance races, this will be his first marathon.  He is honored to be running in memory of his father and in support of Samaritans.

Click here to visit Marc's Fundraising Webpage

Nicole Costa

Nicole is from Cambridge, MA and is the New Business Promotions Manager for the Harvard Business Review magazine. She came to Samaritans in 2005 after the loss of her cousin Christian to suicide. Shortly thereafter, she started volunteering with Samaritans' Grief Support Services team as a facilitator at the Quincy SafePlace group and as a member of the Survivor to Survivor Network. Nicole has been team captain of Christian's Team at the Samaritans 5K for six years, and has raised more than $100,000 for Samaritans since getting involved. She ran the 2008 and 2011 Boston Marathon on behalf of Samaritans.

Click here to visit Nicole's Fundraising Webpage

Kirstie Crawford

Kirstie is originally from Scotland and currently resides in Boston. The Boston Marathon will be Kirstie’s first ever marathon. Kirstie initially got involved with Samaritans as a helpline volunteer a year ago and her passion for Samaritans’ mission and work led her to becoming a member of staff in October, 2011. Kirstie has spent the last 20 years working on a voluntary basis to reduce the stigma of mental health illnesses especially in the media. She is running in honor and memory of her father, Ian Crawford, who passed away over six years ago following a serious illness. He was a marathon runner. She has also been truly inspired by the reasons why the rest of the Samaritans’ Boston Marathon team members are running this year.

Click here to visit Kirstie's Fundraising Webpage

Andrew Donovan

Andrew was born and raised in Dorchester, but now currently resides in Weymouth with his wife, Shannon, and two daughters, Lily and Anna. The passing of his dear friend Georgie to suicide has propelled Andrew's desire to run his first Boston Marathon for the Samaritans.  Over the past several years, Andrew and "Georgie's Gang" have memorialize Georgie through the establishment of a scholarship in his name and participating in the Samaritans 5K.  Andrew ran the ING New York City Marathon in November of 2011 and he looks forward to running in front of a hometown crowd.

Click here to visit Andrew's Fundraising Webpage

Meghan Fallon

Meghan is from Duxbury, Massachusetts and is currently an Underwriter at an insurance company in downtown Boston. Running has always been an influence in her life. She has run the San Diego Rock N' Roll Marathon twice, but this will be her first Boston Marathon. Meghan first became familiar with suicide at a young age when a family friend took his own life in 1994. As the years went on she began to have her own struggle with depression and lost her passion for running amongst many things. In 2009 she saw an article in the local paper for the Samaritans 5k. Hitting very close to home she participated and was so moved by the event that a year later she contacted Samaritans to run her first marathon in San Diego on behalf of their organization. Samaritans helped to bring running and purpose back in to her life with all of their support during training. Forty years to the date after her father, Meghan couldn't be more honored to run the Boston Marathon while raising awareness for depression and suicide and most of all to help give people hope.

Click here to visit Meghan's Fundraising Webpage

Lila Flavin

Lila is originally from Cambridge, Massachusetts and is currently working to get her undergraduate degree from Princeton University. She is running this year’s Boston Marathon (along with her mother, Nancy Rappaport) in memory of her grandmother who died by suicide before she was born. Lila says that although she is somewhat removed from her grandmother’s suicide, she wants to make sure that other people who are contemplating suicide do not feel silenced. As a college student, she hopes to also raise awareness about suicide prevention with young people in her community, as well as educate them about resources that are available if someone in is need of emotional support. This is Lila’s first marathon.

Click here to visit Lila's Fundraising Webpage

Kim Gagnon-Mcniff

Kim has run the Boston Marathon for Samaritans for four consecutive year! She runs in memory of her sister, Jodi Ann Simms, who died by suicide in 2006. Kim and her family have formed Jodi Ann's Team at the Annual Samairtans 5K for five straight years and have raised over $30,000 for suicide prevention. Kim also serves on Samaritans' Board of Directors. She lives in Franklin, MA with her husband and four kids.
Click here to visit Kim's Fundraising Webpage

Samantha Joseph

Samantha was born in Pennsylvania but has lived in Boston for the past 10 years since coming to the area to attend Brandeis University in 2000. At age 16, Samantha lost her aunt, Gail Joseph, to suicide. Her family was devastated by the loss and Samantha was inspired to prevent others from experiencing similar tragedies. Samantha has been volunteering for the Samaritan's helpline since January of 2011 and is training to be a SafePlace facilitator. This will be Samantha's first marathon and her training will be the first time Samantha has ever run more than three miles in a row. She is excited to tie such a big goal to a cause she cares so much about and is honored to run in her hometown of Boston on behalf of Samaritans in 2012. 

Click here to visit Samantha's Fundraising Webpage

Brenda Kline

Brenda lives in Dracut, MA with her husband and two sons, and is a passionate suicide prevention advocate. She currently serves as the Suicide Prevention Coordinator at the Bedford Veteran's Hospital and the Lead Suicide Prevention Coordinator for the Veteran's Hospitals in the New England area. In this role, she has the honor and privilege of working with veterans who have served our country - include many who return with emotional wounds and are feeling desperate. This will be Brenda’s first Boston Marathon, and she is delighted to be running for a cause that is close to her heart. She will also be running the marathon along side her sister, Catherine!

Click here to visit Samantha's Fundraising Webpage

Kevin Quinlan

Kevin is a trained Samaritans helpline volunteer and has run the Samaritans 5K as a member of Christian's Team for many years. He is also a key volunteer at the annual 5K Run/Walk, and thanks to his support, the event has reached new heights in recent years! This will be Kevin's third time running the Boston Marathon on behalf of Samaritans, and his fourth marathon overall. Kevin is president of Quinlan-Wasserman, a Boston-based flower wholesale company, which has generously sponsored many Samaritans events throughout the years. Kevin lives in Carlisle, MA with his wife and two daughters.

Click here to visit Kevin's Fundraising Webpage 

Nancy Rappaport

A resident of Cambridge, MA, Nancy is a board certified child and adolescent psychiatrist. Rappaport is assistant professor of psychiatry at Harvard Medical School where she teaches undergraduates, medical students, and residents about child development and supervises child psychiatry fellows in local schools. Her research, teaching, and clinical expertise focus on the collaboration between education and psychiatry. While Nancy has completed nine Boston Marathons, this will be her first with the Samaritans Team. She is running in memory of her mother who died by suicide, which Nancy reveals in her published memoir In Her Wake: A Child Psychiatrist Explores the Mystery of Her Mother's Suicide. Nancy is thrilled to be running this year’s marathon for Samaritans with her daughter, Lila, who is also a member of the 2012 Team

Click here to visit Nancy's Fundraising Webpage

Jeff Rubino

Jeff lost his cousin Christian Caldaroni to suicide in 2005. Along with his cousin and marathon teammate, Nicole Costa, Jeff has participated in Samaritans' Annual “Run for Someone Else’s Life” 5K, and has helped to organize Christians Team for many years. He says that the support his family receives from Samaritans Grief Support Services is amazing and he is delighted be raising funds this year for the life-saving services that his family found so helpful. This will be Jeff’s first marathon. He resides in Haverhill, MA.

Click here to visit Jeff's Fundraising Webpage 

Naomi Schwartz

Naomi is a native of the North Shore, though she recently moved to Weymouth.  She lives with beau, Jack, an avid golfer and just found out that he is a soon-to-be water stop volunteer.  Naomi got involved with Samaritans through the Make Noise Event, and the SamaritansRun/Walk for Someone Else's Life.  She has a passion for the outdoors, chocolate and online shopping. Naomi is an avid runner, though this will be her first marathon. She is running in honor of her family, and to raise awareness and support for all those suffering through depression. She wants everyone to know, especially those that are afraid to get help, that they are never alone in their battle.

Click here to visit Naomi's Fundraising Webpage

Michael Struppa

Mike, who served as a medic in the Army for more than 15 years, is from East Boston, MA and currently resides in Medford. This will be his first marathon ever, and he will be marching it in full uniform with a 35 pound aid bag in memory of his Uncle Nino (2009) and his father Sal (2011), both of whom his family lost to suicide, as well as for all of those in the military who are afraid to get help. Mike wants to show them, especially, that there are people who understand and care.  

Click here to visit Mike's Fundraising Webpage

Isabel Thottam

Isabel is a junior at Emerson College and is originally from Ohio. Over the past year, she has become a wonderful advocate for the work of Samaritans at her school, which includes organizing a team for the Annual Samaritans 5K Run/Walk, and starting projects that provide emotion support to people struggling with depression through the power of music. She is also set to begin her training as a Samaritans helpline volunteer. By running the Boston Marathon, Isabel hopes to show others who are suffering from depression and suicidal feelings that they can do anything they set their mind to if they just take it one day (or one mile!) at a time. While Isabel is an active member of the Emerson College cross-country team, this will be her first marathon.

Click here to visit Isabel's Fundraising Webpage