Fall / Winter 2025 | Community 25
2010: A New Decade
Joyce Chu arrived at her first NYC Marathon carrying more than nerves: Her Parkinson’ s diagnosis was still a secret, but the weekend gave her the courage to share her story. At MJFF’ s pre-race dinner, Joyce bonded with fellow members of Team Fox, totaling 150 athletes.“ I came to NYC feeling lonely and negative. I left full of hope,” she said of her experience. She’ s carried that feeling forward, returning to run with Team Fox in NYC four more times.
2020: Navigating the Pandemic
Team Fox marathoners didn’ t let the COVID-19 pandemic stop them. Rose and Chris Babcock were two of 190 virtual athletes who helped raise over $ 598,000 for research. Together, they mapped their own 26.2-mile course, running 43 laps around their Orlando, Florida, neighborhood while supporters cheered them on. In 2021, they returned to New York:“ That race felt like a big release of energy across the five boroughs after all of the indoor time over the previous year and a half,” they said.
2025: A Family Legacy
This year marked Team Fox’ s largest team yet, which included Esme Fox, the youngest child of Michael J. Fox and Tracy Pollan. After years spent cheering from the sidelines, perched on her dad’ s shoulders or selling lemonade as runners passed by, Esme ran her first marathon with Team Fox on the eve of her 24th birthday.“ MJFF has been a major cornerstone of my life since I was born,” she said.“ To fulfill one of my personal goals while supporting my dad was an experience I’ ll never forget.”