Once a patient, now a runner: She’s running for Boston Children’s Hospital

Boston Marathon

“I want to give back to the hospital that saved my life.”

By Kelly Chan

February 2, 2026 | 3:49 PM

1 minute to read

In our “Why I’m Running” series, Boston Marathon athletes share what’s inspiring them to make the 26.2-mile trek from Hopkinton to Boston. Looking for more race day content? Sign up for Boston.com’s pop-up Boston Marathon newsletter.

Name: Molly Kokoski
Age: 26
From: Boston

I’m running the 130th Boston Marathon to raise money for Boston Children’s Hospital. I was a patient there my entire childhood and into early adulthood, and I truly owe them my life. I was diagnosed with ulcerative colitis which led to eventually needing an ostomy bag in 2021, which I will have for the rest of my life.

I’ve spent a lot of my life being sick. I’ve gone through periods of time where I was grateful to just be able to stand up. I feel so grateful that now I’m at a point with my health where I can take on something like the Boston Marathon. There will, of course, be challenges running with an ostomy, but that is not discouraging me from doing it.

I’m running because I want to give back to the hospital that saved my life and provided me with amazing support and care. I’m running because I want to show others that an ostomy bag doesn’t have to be something that limits you. It gave me my life back.

Running Boston has always been a dream of mine. Growing up in Massachusetts, going to college in the city, and now living in Boston, I’ve watched the marathon countless times. I’ve been so inspired by other runners, their reasons to run, and watching them achieve their dreams. I always have wanted to be one of the runners out there on the course. The energy in the city on Marathon Monday is unmatched, and I can’t wait to be part of it.

Editor’s note: This entry may have been lightly edited for clarity or grammar.

Kelly Chan

Content Producer

Kelly Chan is a content producer at Boston.com. She designs multimedia content on-site and across social media platforms, and experiments with new ways to engage readers.