Moorestown resident Christian Whipple (center) will embark on a 100-mile run to benefit the National Brain Tumor Society this month. Fellow Moorestown firefighters Tommy Constantine (left) and Bart Santaspirt surprised Whipple by running with him during an initiative to raise funds and awareness for pediatric cancer warriors and the KICKcancER Movement.
One-hundred miles in 24 hours.
“When you’re doing something that’s bigger than you, that’s what it’s about,” said Moorestown resident Christian Whipple.
The township firefighter and fifth-grade teacher in Runnemede will be doing something bigger than himself on Saturday, when he runs 100 miles for 24 hours to raise funds for the National Brain Tumor Society.
Whipple’s run will also celebrate two of his friends, Matt Coleman and Mikey Ambrose, and honor Whipple’s dad, Buddy.
“In a time where a lot of research and funding is being cut, he’s taking action to make a difference in people’s lives,” said Moorestown resident Coleman, who met Whipple at a lacrosse game years ago. “As he said, it’s bigger than him, it’s bigger than all of us. He’s an inspiration …
“It’s so unbelievable that Christian is out there pulling for all of the people who are out here suffering with this illness.”
Coleman, a husband and father of two boys, experienced a grand mal seizure last year. Scans revealed a 7.4-centimeter mass in his brain, resulting in a surgical craniotomy that took four hours. Doctors removed 98% of the tumor and shortly after, Coleman started daily chemotherapy and proton therapy treatments.
Many treatments later, Coleman had his third post-radiation MRI with no tumor growth. He couldn’t believe it.
“Thinking about having brain surgery is not (anything) that I had ever had in my life planned,” he said. “Nobody ever does. It was (a) complete shock. There was a lot of disbelief at first, but I knew that I had to do whatever I had to do because I have two little boys at home. I had to do whatever I had to do to be there for them.”
When Coleman first got sick, the township community offered support that included delivering meals to his family every day. That support system – wife Celie, family and friends – has been there the whole time, he noted.
“Celie puts a ton back into the community, and we’re firm believers that you get back what you put in,” Coleman explained. “You put good things out there and good things come back … My family has been with us through this whole time – and Celie’s family – that has been our first line of defense. But then friends, our kid’s friends’ parents …
“Everybody has just come out to support us, and just stepped up in ways that you wouldn’t believe.”
Moorestown resident Christian Whipple will have friend Matt Coleman – here with his wife Celie and their two sons – in mind as he runs.
By documenting his journey on social media, Coleman has connected with others going through cancer. It’s one thing to talk to somebody who hasn’t, he observed, but to talk to those who understand the anxiety of going into scans and having MRIs hits differently.
“Be as vocal as you can and … let people know that you’re not okay,” Coleman suggested. “It’s okay to not be okay. It’s not an easy journey. There’s going to be good days and bad. Reach out and let people know. People care. You’re not alone … Hit it head on.
“You have two choices every day when you wake up,” he added. “You can be mad or you can be happy … I know how precious today is … It’s important to take advantage of the time that we have here and tell people that you love them.”
Ambrose, a Haddonfield resident, has been a family friend of Whipple’s since childhood. In 2019, at 39 years old, the father of two found out he had a brain tumor. His positive attitude helped him survive that challenge and got him through COVID even as he kept working full-time.
Whipple has been an endurance athlete for years, having participated in triathlons since 1999. He initially started on a smaller scale, but that snowballed over the years, and Whipple has done it all, from participating in distance races all over the world to embarking on a 24-hour run through Runnemede that raised funds for pediatric cancer.
“Mikey didn’t have a choice in getting cancer,” Whipple remarked. “Matt doesn’t have a choice in getting cancer, so it’s how you view things … I choose to do this … You’re doing it for something bigger than yourself.
“It’s putting meaning to the miles.”
Whipple’s dad Buddy lost his battle with brain cancer 24 years ago, at 55. A Philly sports fan, he would wake up his family at night cheering for his favorite teams. Whipple’s 100-mile run for the National Brain Tumor Society is something that his dad would’ve loved, he said.
“He would’ve been the one making sure that I had all my food, my nutrition, making sure that I’m drinking,” Whipple noted … “He probably would’ve stayed up all night, excited the night before … That’s the kind of person he was. He would’ve loved this …
“For me, running is getting outside,” he added, “and even if I run the same places, it’s always different. That’s one of the cool things about where we live. The seasons are always changing and if I run (during) the daytime, nighttime … I just love getting out and seeing things …
“Running is just a part of me.”
For updates on Whipple’s run or to donate to Miles for Matt and Mikey, visit nbtsevents.braintumor.org/fundraiser/7017808.
