WASHINGTON, D.C., Sept. 21, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Award-winning Broadway star Sierra Boggess and her sister, music educator Allegra Boggess will be running the TCS New York City Marathon on Sunday, November 6, to raise awareness and funds for the Cancer Support Community (CSC). The sisters are teaming up with CSC for the organization’s second year as an Official Charity Partner of the marathon.
Sierra first became acquainted with CSC when a friend invited her to join in volunteering at Gilda’s Club Westchester, one of the organization’s 175 network partner locations. CSC provides $50 million in free navigation and support services to patients and their loved ones at these locations, online, and via our toll-free Helpline. Working with children who have family members impacted by cancer was deeply meaningful.
“It was just one day, and it was life-changing. I was so moved that I left weeping,” Sierra said. She added, “It’s unbelievable how this organization supports not only the individual dealing with the disease but their families as well. I know I can’t do this life without my sisters and I know no one should have to face a difficult period without love and support.”
Sierra Boggess is an Oliver Award-winning actress who played Phantom of the Opera’s leading lady Christine Daae in the Broadway, West End, and televised 25th-anniversary concert production of the musical. Sierra made her Broadway debut as Ariel in The Little Mermaid, and her additional Broadway credits include Master Class, It Shoulda Been You, and School of Rock. Allegra Boggess is a full-time educator and serves as the orchestra director and the choir director at Rabun Gap-Nacoochee School, a boarding school in Georgia. Previously, Allegra spent five years teaching at the Afghanistan National Institute of Music, Afghanistan’s first music school.
The sisters discovered their mutual love for running during the pandemic, and they credit the activity for bringing them closer together while isolating. Allegra began running when the lockdowns were established, an activity that she says was greatly beneficial for her mental health. Once Sierra learned about her sister’s new hobby, she took up the activity to be supportive and feel connected to Allegra despite the distance between them. From their respective locations, the pair would check in on each other’s running progress and offer each other motivation and encouragement.
After successfully running the 2022 RBC Brooklyn Half marathon together, they decided to take their dedication to the sport to the next level. “Running was something that became an important part of my life,” said Allegra. “And I love running with Sierra. After she saw the TCS New York City Marathon last year, she came to me and said, ‘We need to do this together.’ And I couldn’t have agreed more!”
Last year’s marathon marked the city’s return to hosting the event after being paused in 2020 due to the pandemic. 2021’s race was marked by all-around excitement. Many celebrities participated by running for their favorite charities and nonprofit organizations, including Tony-award-winning Broadway star Kelli O’Hara who ran on behalf of CSC.
With a break in her busy Broadway schedule, the timing was right for Sierra to run the 2022 marathon. Inspired by Kelli O’Hara, Sierra and Allegra are excited to follow in her footsteps.
“Undertaking this challenge for such an important cause is tremendous motivation,” the duo shared jointly. “We will be running 26.2 miles side by side, supporting each other every step of the way as we work together to make a difference in the life of people living with cancer.”
To learn more about Sierra and Allegra’s run for CSC, visit https://cancersupportcommunity.salsalabs.org/sierraandallegrarunnyc
About the Cancer Support Community
As the largest professionally led nonprofit network of cancer support worldwide, the Cancer Support Community (CSC), including its Gilda’s Club network partners, is dedicated to ensuring that all people impacted by cancer are empowered by knowledge, strengthened by action, and sustained by community. CSC achieves its mission through three areas: direct service delivery, research, and advocacy. The organization’s Institute for Excellence in Psychosocial Care includes an international network that offers the highest quality social and emotional support for people impacted by cancer, as well as a community of support available online and over the phone. The Research and Training Institute conducts cutting-edge psychosocial, behavioral, and survivorship research. CSC furthers its focus on patient advocacy through its Cancer Policy Institute, informing public policy in Washington, D.C. and across the nation. For more information, please call the toll-free Cancer Support Helpline at 888-793-9355 or visit www.CancerSupportCommunity.org.
