Marcelo DaSilva

Marcelo DaSilva, MD, an associate surgeon in the Division of Thoracic Surgery, is running his first Boston Marathon as a member of the Brigham and Women’s Hospital Marathon Program to pay tribute to his friend and colleague, the late Michael J. Davidson, MD.

“I’m honored to have the opportunity to run for BWH and for Mike,” DaSilva said. “To me, running in the name of a loved one is extremely powerful. I know that’s what motivates me every time I lace up my sneakers and head out on a course.”

DaSilva is running in this year’s Boston Marathon as a member of the “Running to Remember Dr. Michael J. Davidson” team, which is part of the Brigham and Women’s Hospital Life.Giving.Breakthroughs. Marathon Team. The team is raising funds to establish the Michael J. Davidson, MD, Endovascular Fellowship, which will offer support for cardiothoracic surgeons who have completed their formal residency training and are seeking to enhance their surgical skills in transcatheter valve techniques. The fellowship will provide direct experience using novel and less invasive solutions for complex cardiac patients.

DaSilva, who joined BWH in 2008, described Davidson as a talented surgeon and educator. He said by establishing this fellowship, BWH and health care institutions around the country will be able to continue training the best physicians.

“That’s what Mike would have wanted,” he said. “He was a visionary who was ahead of his time in how he thought about cardiovascular surgery. Like so many of us, Mike wanted to make a difference in people’s lives, and I am pleased that this fellowship will help us do just that.”

DaSilva isn’t new to the racing scene; he’s previously run nine other marathons, including Chicago and New York City. He’s looking forward to passing the cheering crowds, running up Heartbreak Hill and crossing the finish line. Meditation is what gets him through some of the hardest parts of races, he says.

“Running a marathon can be compared to performing surgery, meaning that it takes a lot of determination, training and physical and mental endurance to cross the finish line or complete a case,” DaSilva said. “It’s an amazing feeling to run among thousands of other participants knowing that they all have a reason for running. I know Mike will be with the Brigham team in spirit on race day.”

To learn more about the BWH Marathon Program, visit BWHMarathonProgram.org.