Running to Give Back: Tim’s Story

On Sunday, Oct. 25, Tim Henning will run the 51st Marine Corps Marathon in Arlington, Virginia. As a member of Team CSC United, he has been raising funds so people impacted by cancer can find support and resources. This is Tim's story. 

A cancer diagnosis can weigh heavily on an entire family. Tim knows that firsthand. He has watched loved ones, including his mother, navigate cancer. A pharmacist by training, he has also seen “cancer up close” in his professional work. Those experiences give his commitment to giving back a deeply personal purpose. What’s important to Tim is this: How do I give back to others at the end of the day? 

“I have been tremendously blessed by God, and as I enter the later stages of my career, I want to make sure I can use those blessings of extra time — including being an almost empty nester and still being able to be physically active — to help support and serve others.”  

For Tim, joining Cancer Support Community’s Board of Directors last November felt like a natural fit: “I saw the amazing work Cancer Support Community is doing and how CSC is supporting not only patients, but also caregivers and families.”  

Since joining CSC at the national level, Tim’s oldest daughter, Marie, has also become actively involved with Cancer Support Community through CSC at Gilda’s Club Rochester in New York (one of more than 200 CSC locations worldwide offering professionally led programs at no cost to anyone impacted by a cancer diagnosis).

 
Tim’s connection to CSC’s mission began long before he joined the board. His early work as a pharmacy officer in the United States Army, followed by a career in the pharmaceutical industry and now in community pharmacy, has shaped him personally and professionally, he says.  

“I remember regularly preparing chemotherapy medications for patients at the hospital on Fort Bragg, my first duty station, and reflecting on what those treatments meant — that they could cause side effects that impacted patients and also challenged caregivers, but they also could save lives,” Tim says. “Knowing the potential benefits of the treatments gave my work deep meaning. My work experiences have stayed with me throughout my career and have reinforced why this work in cancer care and cancer support matters.”  

Tim's final Army assignment was serving as Chief of Pharmacy in Fairbanks, Alaska, for a hospital serving inpatient, outpatient, and ambulatory clinics. Today, as an executive healthcare leader, Tim’s top priority remains providing quality focused healthcare that benefits patients, their families, and communities.  

Now Tim is taking that commitment to the starting line. When the opportunity arose to run the Marine Corps Marathon with Team CSC United, he didn’t skip a beat. The race brings together a longtime dream, a milestone birthday, and a cause close to his heart.  

• A milestone worth the miles. Tim turns 60 on Oct. 25 — yes, that’s right, the day of the Marine Corps Marathon. “Maybe it’s not what everybody wants to do on their 60th birthday,” Tim says, smiling, “but I like to stay active and also I like setting stretch goals to keep me focused.”  
• A connection to service. After years delivering pharmaceutical care in the Army, the Marine Corps Marathon offers a meaningful setting for his next challenge.
• A challenge he’s ready to take on. An active runner, hockey player, and cyclist, Tim brings an athletic foundation and previous marathon experience — although it was 25 years ago — to the extensive training required. “The training is the demanding part. The race is easy if you do the training right. It’s just more [about] can I get through the training, and can my body hold up running for four plus hours?”
• A purpose beyond the finish line. Joining Team CSC United is a natural extension of Tim’s desire to give back and help sustain support for individuals and families facing cancer.

As a member of Team CSC United, Tim is also helping to spread an important message: CSC is here for anyone navigating a cancer diagnosis, with support available free of charge.  

On Oct. 25, as he celebrates his 60th year, Tim will set out to fulfill his longtime dream of running the Marine Corps Marathon. His wife, Michele, his four adult children, old college friends, and other supporters will be cheering him on from the sidelines in D.C. or through the Marine Corps Marathon app to track his progress and provide encouragement along the way. And with every mile, he’ll carry forward the purpose that brought him here: giving back. 

Will you join us? Help cheer Tim on and support his fundraising efforts as we run toward hope, healing, and a future where no one faces cancer alone.