ボストン近郊にお住まいのスティーブン・ブロデック君（１３歳）は３年４ヶ月に渡り、急性リンパ芽球性白血病の治療を受けてきました。スティーブン君の最後のケモ・セラピーは７月２６日に予定されています。ご家族のみなさんは、治療が終わることをとても心待ちにしておられますが、特に弟のアレキシスくん（１１歳）がとても楽しみしています。お兄さんの病気をとても気にしていました。このご兄弟へのお祝いに、ボストン近郊のM４M支部のジュリー・マクルーカスさんが、ランナーの念のこもった完走メダルをあげました。
After three years and four months of treatment for acute lymphoblastic leukemia, 13-year-old Stephen Broderick of Sherborn is scheduled to undergo his last chemotherapy treatment on July 26. The occasion will be a time of celebration for his entire family, with perhaps the loudest cheers from 11-year-old Alexis, who has taken her big brother’s illness especially hard. In recognition of their joint courage, the siblings were recently honored by Julie McLucas, coordinator of the Westborough-based chapter of Medals4Mettle, a nonprofit organization that presents medals donated by marathon, half-marathon, and triathlon competitors worldwide to children and adults facing debilitating illnesses
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スティーブン君と弟のアレクシス君の話：
僕はこの頂いたメダルをベッドルームの壁にかけようと思います。多分、僕なら絶対にできないだろうマラソンのメダルを僕にくれたなんてすごい。きっとたくさん練習したと思う。それに頂いたこの（ディズニーマラソンの）グーフィーのメダル、すごく可愛いです。嬉しいです。見てるだけで、ハッピーになれます。
SHARED COURAGE: After three years and four months of treatment for acute lymphoblastic leukemia, 13-year-old Stephen Broderick of Sherborn is slated to have his last chemotherapy treatment on July 26.
The occasion will be a time of celebration for his family, with perhaps the loudest cheers from 11-year-old Alexis, who has taken her big brother’s illness especially hard.
In recognition of their joint courage, the siblings were recently honored byJulie McLucas, coordinator of the Westborough-based chapter of Medals4Mettle, a nonprofit organization that presents medals donated by marathon, half-marathon, and triathlon competitors worldwide to children and adults facing challenges from debilitating illnesses.
Stephen, a seventh-grader at Woodside Montessori Academy in Millis, was given a gold medal from the Walt Disney World Marathon in 2009. Alexis, a fifth-grader at Woodside, received hers from the 2008 Goofy’s Race and a Half Challenge, in which runners complete 39.3 miles over two days.
“It’s very nice of them,” said Stephen, who plans to prominently display his medal, engraved with Mickey Mouse, in his bedroom. “They earned it by running a lot and doing stuff that I most certainly couldn’t do. For them to give away their award for that to somebody else is pretty neat and cool.”
“They’re very cute,” agreed Alexis, whose medal is engraved with a picture of Goofy. “It makes me feel happy.”
Stephen’s health has improved since the young Beatles fan put aside his desire to meet Paul McCartney in order for his family to enjoy a Disney cruise through the Make-A-Wish Foundation of Massachusetts and Rhode Island in 2012.
However, last year he was diagnosed with osteoporosis from his steroid treatments, and has struggled with recurring pneumonia since October.
He admits it has “kind of been harder than we expected, with how often I’ve gotten sick,” and insists his sister is every bit as deserving of recognition. “She didn’t get chemo, but she went through all the emotional stuff, so it was just as hard on her, if not harder.”
And the medals, he said, “are a reminder that we’ve both been through a three-year marathon.”
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