Meet the runners who will be representing Expect Miracles Foundation and raising funds for our mission at the 2026 TCS New York City Marathon on November 1.
Distance Challenge Winners 2026
The 2026 EMF Distance Challenge, an eight day virtual and global event, took place from May 12-19. Participants ran, walked, and biked to support the fight against cancer. Thanks to the generosity of our sponsors, 100% of all participant-raised dollars support Expect Miracle Foundation’s three funds:
- Discovery Fund at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute
- Innovation Fund at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center
- EMF’s SAMFund which provides financial assistance to young adult cancer survivors
Cornerstone Sponsors
Miles
Raised
Participants
Meet the Winners
The following individuals, teams, and organizations achieved #1 rankings on the 2026 EMF Distance Challenge leaderboards. Mileage standings finalized on 5.19.26 at 11:59 PM EST. Fundraising standings finalized on 5.22.26 at 5:00 PM EST.
ORGANIZATIONS
Fundraising
$156,195
Mileage
9,712 miles
Participants
498
Individuals
Fundraising
$53,569
Christine Chigounis, Bank of America Merrill Lynch
Bike Mileage
1,212 miles
Ryan Marvell, Citi
Run/Walk Mileage
164 miles
John Rowland, SS&C
Total Impact
100 miles Run/Walk + $53,569
Christine Chigounis, Bank of America Merrill Lynch
Donations
184
Jim Keenan, Beacon Advisory Partners
TEAMS
Fundraising
$150,249
Team 6-Pack
Bike Mileage
1,444 miles
Team Merrill & Friends for Ben
Run/Walk Mileage
2,295 miles
Team Merrill & Friends for Ben
Meet Team 6-Pack
Led by Jeff Duckworth of Manulife John Hancock Investments, alongside Brett Davenport of BMD Leadership Institute Inc., Team 6-Pack has participated in the EMF Distance Challenge every year, bringing together industry leaders to raise critical funds to help leave cancer behind. The 2026 team includes Sandy Bolton of SanWealth Partners, Zach Flechtner and Brad Baker of Manulife John Hancock Investments, and Nick Nichols of Equiniti. Since the launch of EMF’s Distance Challenges in 2020, Team 6-Pack has raised an incredible $751,157.85 – and counting.
Surpassing $1.7 million in the 2026 Distance Challenge reflects the extraordinary generosity, commitment, and compassion of the financial services community. Every participant, donor, and supporter played a meaningful role in advancing the fight against cancer, and I am deeply grateful for your belief in our mission. Together, we are creating hope and making a lasting impact for patients and families everywhere.
Frank Strauss
Founder and Chairman, Expect Miracles Foundation
Warm Up Parties
Boston
Bell & Hand on 5.7.2026
New York City
Taylor Public House on 5.7.2026
Make Miracles
Join us in the fight against cancer and be part of the community that is making miracles happen today. Your donation is an investment in our Innovation and Discovery Funds, which invests in life-saving cancer research, and EMF’s SAMFund, which provides financial assistance for young adult cancer survivors.
Invest in Hope
Corporate sponsors lead our life-saving mission and gain access to influential business networking opportunities at EMF events, which range from galas to golf tournaments and more. As a sponsor you can cultivate relationships in the financial services industry while having a life-changing impact on the cancer community.