"When you get to 25 [mile mark], it's the mostamazing thing. I was thinking I have got to walkfor awhile, but just seeing the kids energizedme," Vance said.

She said some of the kids walk or run withtheir partners, and explained how one runner evenstopped and walked the last mile with her partner.

Vance raised a total of $3,000.

Meanwhile, Collins finished in 4:00:29. Hefollowed in the footsteps of his grandfather anduncle, both marathon runners, and raised $5,000 inmemory of his father.

"I wanted to do something for DFMC and I wantedto do the marathon," Collins said.

Collins said he looks forward to running forDFMC again next year.

The DFMC has raised over $4.8 million in itsfirst eight years and projected donations for thisyear are easily expected to top a million.

The DFMC was started by a Harvard first-yearwho was trying to find a way to remember his goodfriend Seth Feldman, who died of brain cancer.

Michael H. Silverstein '92 went to high schoolwith Feldman, and watched him struggle with cancerfor nearly four years.

After two periods of remissions and twosurgeries, Feldman, an eighteen year-old Dartmouthfreshman, died of brain cancer over Christmasbreak in 1988. His treatment included time at theDana Farber Cancer Institute.

"He was a great guy, soft-spoken but very warmand friendly," Silverstein said.

Greg A. Gross, who helped get DFMC off theground, retold Feldman's wishes for his closefriend.

"Think of me, Mike, when you graduate fromHarvard and think of me when you finish themarathon."

Both Silverstein and Feldman had volunteeredfor the Boston Marathon.

Although Silverstein remembered Feldman'swords, he struggled to find a way to remember hisfriend.