April 16, 2009 Boston doctor laces up for a cure Play video

(NECN: Latoyia Edwards) - The Boston Marathon is Monday. Tonight we meet a runner who has no interest in winning the race. Instead this Boston doctor is lacing up to raise millions for his young cancer patients.

The picture speaks of a doctor's unwavering dedication. He bend's to child's level and walks hand in hand with his young patient, treating her like she was the only person that mattered in this world.

The image hangs in Dr. Howard Weinstein’s office in Boston, the first thing he sees everyday.

Dr. Weinstein has proven he'll do anything to save children from the heartache of cancer, for example- he's sporting a buzz cut-- after agreeing recently to shave his beloved long locks alongside some Boston Bruins- to raise money for cancer care at Mass General Hospital for children.

And in honor of his patients, Dr. Weinstein will again push his weary body 26 miles to the finish line of the Boston Marathon to generate much needed dollars for the hundreds of cancer ridden children who seek a lifeline at Mass General each year.

5 million in 12 years is a proud achievement, but Dr. Weinstein is not done yet. He formed the Mass General for children marathon team in 1998 with just 10 members-- this year-- 110 doctors and parents run to eradicate pediatric cancer.

Whenever Dr. Weinstein wants to stop running he just thinks about 4-year-old Ronnie. At the age 2, Ronnie was treated for a brain tumor at mass general for children.

You

would never guess Ronnie was ever sick. He I'll talk your ear off about trains and especially about the songs in his favorite movie

He's too young to remember his chemotherapy treatment-- it saved its life and motivated his mom Lisa to run on the Mass General for children marathon team.

All of the money this team raises goes directly to two areas at Mass General. First, child-life specialists.

The marathon money also pays for clinical trials and research.

Each marathon mile has gotten a little tougher to complete over the last 12 years for Dr. Weinstein, and in his busy role as chief pediatric hematologist and oncologist, its become difficult to train for the oldest marathon in the world.

The team's goal is to raise 750 thousand dollars for pediatric cancer care this year. They ask if you see them running by give a shout out-- if not for them, then for cancer survivors like Ronnie.