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#TheDonna Series: A Certified Cheerer and First Aid Captain
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Thousands are preparing to lace up their sneakers for the sixth annual 26.2 with Donna: The National Marathon to Finish Breast Cancer on Sunday, Feb. 17, and in doing so, supporting ongoing research at Mayo Clinic related to breast cancer. But it takes a lot of people to ensure the success of the marathon. Shawn Gallup, a member of Mayo Clinic’s nursing team, has pretty much done it all for the annual event. He’s been a certified cheerer, a first aid station captain, and a major part of the medical and critical care team. This year, though he’s not sure of what role he’ll have but he will be plenty busy before the event. As the new Chest Pain Coordinator on the Florida campus, he’ll be spending lots of time at the runner’s expo, Friday and Saturday at the Prime Osborne Convention Center, educating the community on cardiac disease. So what made Gallup want to volunteer? “You mean aside from my boss,” he asks jokingly.
“I look at the marathon as a great opportunity to give back to the community for an incredibly good cause,” Gallup says. “It's great being able to help support the runners alongside other health care professionals who are all incredibly talented and gifted.”
[view the photos from last year's 26.2 with Donna]
From blisters to hyperthermia, Gallup has helped treat various injuries in his four years’ helping out with the marathon. Each year has brought many different challenges to the participants and bystanders, and usually those challenges stem from uncontrollable factors, like weather. The best advice Gallup has for those running on Sunday, Feb. 17, is “mostly grounded in how they prepare themselves for the race through good training and adequate nutrition and hydration prior to and during the race.” Gallup reminds his fellow colleagues that there are many volunteer opportunities that do not require medical training. You can learn more online.
Story compiled by public affairs interns Jeff Schneider and Monique Damm
Editor’s Note: This is the second in a series of four stories about the 26.2 with Donna: The National Marathon to Finish Breast Cancer. The 26.2 with Donna is the only marathon in the country where all of the race proceeds and donated funds go to breast cancer research and care for those with the disease. Mayo Clinic receives 70 percent of the funds. Almost $1.9 million has been contributed to Mayo Clinic in the past five years.
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