Singer · Writer · Marathoner

Her voice is still out there.

Gweneviere Mann beat a brain tumor, then lost her life to a rare lung cancer in 2018. Her foundation funds research to detect lung cancer and brain tumors early, so more people get the chance to thrive the way she did.

Listen to Gwen's album Donate in her name
Gweneviere Mann sitting in the grass in Central Park, smiling
Gweneviere Mann, Central Park
Gwen leaning in to smell a blue hydrangea

The album

She recorded it months before she passed.

Releasing her music was one of Gwen's last dreams. Her self-titled album came out in 2019: eight songs, her voice, exactly as she wanted it heard. Every stream supports the foundation.

Spotify Apple Music YouTube Music Amazon Music

Gwen's story

A star born to the earth.

Gwen captivated everyone she met with her voice, her contagious laugh, and a big, generous heart.

In 2008 she was diagnosed with a meningioma brain tumor. She came through it and kept going. She became a writer, ran marathons, finished her degree, and kept growing as a singer. Her story was told by StoryCorps and NPR.

Ten years later, on July 22, 2018, a rare form of lung cancer took her life. She never stopped learning, never stopped running, and never stopped singing.

Gwen laughing at a cafe table
  1. 2008Diagnosed with a brain tumor. Beats it.
  2. AfterMarathons, a graduation gown, and a studio album.
  3. 2018Lung cancer takes her life on July 22.
  4. 2019Her album is released. The foundation begins.
Gwen in her graduation gown, pointing and celebrating in the subway Gwen giving two thumbs up during the New York City Marathon Gwen and Yasir smiling together at dinner

Our mission

Save lives. Catch it early.

We award grants to researchers doing promising work on next-generation technology for the early detection of lung cancer and brain tumors.

What we fund

Early detection research for lung cancer and brain tumors, the two diseases Gwen faced.

Run for Gwen

We're an official charity partner of the TCS New York City Marathon. Run with our team and fundraise for early detection.

Apply to run
For researchers

Working on early detection? Tell us about it.

yasir@gwenmann.org
Gwen running the New York City Marathon in a blue shirt with GWEN written on it, arms wide Friends in Central Park wearing shirts that spell GWEN

The 50 in 50 campaign

50 marathons. 50 states. 50 weeks.

Gwen and Yasir ran marathons together for years, always in shirts with their names on them. After she passed, Yasir kept running for her: a marathon in every state, one a week, to raise money for early detection research.

He raised more than $80,000 for the foundation, wrote a chapter in Dean Karnazes' Running For Good, and ran his 50th marathon alongside Dean.

Run for Gwen

Run the New York City Marathon with us.

We're an official charity partner of the TCS New York City Marathon. Join Team Gwen, get a guaranteed entry, and raise money for early detection of lung cancer and brain tumors.

  • Guaranteed race entry
  • Custom Gweneviere Mann Foundation New Balance race shirt and thermal half zip
  • A copy of Gwen's album and a signed copy of Running For Good, with a chapter by Yasir
  • Personal help with training, fundraising and race logistics from Yasir, who has run more than 100 marathons and NYC every year since 2010

Spots are limited. We review applications in the order they come in.

As heard on

Gwen's story, told on NPR, StoryCorps, Women's Health and more.

NPRStoryCorpsWomen's HealthABC7
StoryCorps · Animated film
Marking the Distance

After brain surgery took her short-term memory, Gwen and Yasir started running marathons. Their StoryCorps conversation, animated.

Watch the film
Women's Health · Feature
Gwen's marathon story

How Gwen kept running marathons after brain surgery took her short-term memory.

Read the story
NPR Morning Edition · StoryCorps · 2024
Running With the Pain: How a Widower Grappled With Grief
Listen
NPR · StoryCorps · 2013
StoryCorps: A Decade of Ties That Bind
Listen
NPR Morning Edition · StoryCorps · 2011
Memory Loss Sparks a Plan for Running, and Living
Listen
Beloved wife's death inspires TCS NYC Marathon runner to set ambitious goalABC7 New York · 2018 50 marathons in 50 statesMen's Health · 2019 This New Yorker is running 50 marathons in 50 states to honor his wifeCulture Trip The Long RunStoryCorps Podcast The running race of his lifeFeel Good Running Podcast