Zurich Marathon

My first run. For something bigger.

In 2024, I ran my very first race: a marathon in Zurich.
One first step in my own endurance journey - and a second step toward turning a personal challenge into hope for many.

Cammino per la Speranza unites action and purpose. Step after step, together with more than 80 people and companies, we raised funds to support cancer research. Because cancer research - like life - is not a sprint. It’s a marathon. And it’s never about the finish line.

Introduction

  • 42.195 km

  • 3:47:46 finish time

  • 80+ supporters

  • CHF 15,036 raised

  • 1 young researcher funded

The Training

Looking back, training was the best part, because you become better than when you started.
You just need to show up - and get a little better, every day.

Zurich, 8:30 AM

The start line. Nervous. Focused. My first race ever.
You can prepare everything, but you can’t control the weather. April 21 in Zurich: snow forecast.

Km 21 - Halfway

They say a marathon is 16 km of warming up, 16 km of running the way you trained, and 10 km of pure heart.
The warm-up was over. Then the snow arrived.

Km 34 - The Wall

Every step hurt, but I kept going.
As Murakami says: “Pain is inevitable. Suffering is optional. The ‘hurt’ part is an unavoidable reality, but whether or not you can stand anymore is up to you only.”

Finish Line - 42.195 Km

3:47:46. Done. Exhausted. Frozen. Grateful.

Why it matters

The funds were donated to a joint project by the Institute for Research in Biomedicine (IRB) and the Institute of Oncology Research (IOR) in Bellinzona, supporting research led by Dr. Andrea Cavalli and postdoctoral researchers Dr. Concetta Guerra and Dr. Jacopo Sgrignani, focused on targeting proteins involved in cancer and rare diseases.

The project aims to restore the tumor suppressor PTEN in prostate cancer by blocking its degradation through the E3 ligase WWWP1. Two promising molecules, D1 and D2, were identified as modulators of WWP1 activity.

Structural studies and AI-assisted modelling guided the design of improved derivatives, leading to around 40 new compounds. One optimized D1 derivative has already shown strong antiproliferative effects in prostate cancer cells, and in vivo studies are now being planned to evaluate its safety and therapeutic potential.

Watch the project video

How you can support

  • A first step


    CHF 5 / JPY 1,000

    Even the smallest contribution matters. Many first steps together can start a journey of change.

    Donate now

  • A set of samples


    CHF 50 / JPY 10,000

    Support the materials needed to test an innovative idea. With your help, a researcher can move from theory to practice.

    Donate now

  • A key experiment


    CHF 500 / JPY 100,000

    Enable a crucial experiment in cancer research. This level of support can generate the first results that open new directions.

    Donate now

  • A pilot grant


    CHF 5,000 / JPY 1,000,000

    Fund a young researcher’s project idea with a direct grant. Your support allows a postdoc to generate preliminary data and apply for larger grants.

    Donate now

  • Donate easily with TWINT

    Switzerland only

Join the journey

I hope you’ll join us on this journey: by making a donation and/or by sharing this initiative with others.

Small steps. Real impact.

Support Faces of Hope