JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – The DONNA Foundation opened registration on Tuesday for the 20th running of DONNA Marathon Weekend, a milestone celebration that will bring thousands of runners, survivors, volunteers and supporters to Jacksonville Feb. 5-7, 2027.
The event serves as the cornerstone of the foundation’s Survivorship, Education and Awareness Program. As the organization’s premier annual fundraiser, the weekend celebrates people living with breast cancer while generating funding for support services, financial relief and research.
Recommended Videos
More than 300,000 athletes have crossed DONNA finish lines since the series began in 2008. The foundation says those runners have helped it serve more than 22,000 families, secure more than $7 million in financial services and debt relief, and invest more than $3.3 million in breast cancer research.
The 2027 theme, “Love in Motion,” honors two decades of survivors, families, volunteers and runners and celebrates the power of choosing hope over fear. The theme was inspired by founder Donna Deegan’s memoir, Through Rose Colored Glasses, and her message of seeing life “through rose-colored glasses.”
Donna Deegan, Jacksonville’s mayor and a three-time breast cancer survivor, launched the race series to help families facing breast cancer overcome financial barriers to care.
“There may be more hills to climb, but I hold fast to the belief that nothing is impossible when we choose love over fear,” Deegan said. “The 20th running of DONNA Marathon Weekend is a milestone worthy of celebration, and I look forward to running beside so many of our friends, family, supporters and survivors next year.”
The foundation is continuing its partnership with Hilton Jacksonville at Mayo Clinic as the official host hotel for the weekend, including the Health & Wellness Expo and post-race celebrations.
DONNA Marathon Weekend draws participants from across the country and generates more than $4 million in annual economic impact for Northeast Florida, organizers said. Events begin at Seawalk Pavilion in Jacksonville Beach and include the marathon, half marathon, 5K, DONNA Dash and the third annual Pete’s Bar DONNA Crawl.
Throughout the anniversary year, participants can expect commemorative programming, expanded storytelling, enhanced survivor recognition and special fundraising opportunities.
Participants are encouraged to register early to secure a spot and take advantage of early-bird pricing. Registration is open now at breastcancermarathon.com; registrations completed on July 14 receive a 10% launch-day discount.
“The 20th running is not simply a celebration of where we’ve been,” Amanda Napolitano, executive director of The DONNA Foundation, said. “Every registration, every fundraiser, every volunteer and every survivor who joins us helps move love forward for someone facing breast cancer.”
The DONNA Marathon and Half Marathon have been recognized by USA Today’s 10Best Readers’ Choice Awards, voted Best in Jax by Jacksonville Magazine and qualify for Abbott World Marathon Majors Marathon Tours & Travel age-group world rankings.
DONNA Marathon Weekend describes itself as more than a race series: a movement powered by survivors, fueled by community and united by the belief that together, people can finish breast cancer.