Mattapoisett Mom Turns MS Battle into Mission With Santa Stampede 5k

SouthCoast, get ready for a Santa Stampede!

A festive family fun run is coming to Mattapoisett next month, spreading holiday cheer and raising funds for a great cause.

Mattapoisett mom Jen Pease has always had a passion for running and helping others. A teacher in Fairhaven, she’s completed numerous marathons, including four of the prestigious World Marathon Majors.

While marathon training is no small challenge, Pease faced her toughest obstacle yet last December when this mom of four was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis (MS).

Now, she’s channeling her strength and determination into something even bigger: raising awareness and funds to find a cure.

Pease is inviting the community to join her in the Santa Stampede, a joyful event that combines fitness, fun, and giving back – all while dressed in a Santa suit.

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Santa Stampede

The eighth-grade math teacher at Hastings Middle School in Fairhaven visited The MGM Show to share the details on this fun 5k that is sure to bring the community together.

On Saturday, December 6, 2025, prepare to see hundreds of Santas on the streets of Mattapoisett.

"It starts at the town wharf and it goes around Ned's Point Lighthouse and it ends back at the wharf, and we're looking to have a lot of different activities for kids there and special things just to make it really feel like a festive event that the whole family is invited to," Pease said.

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Adults will don Santa suits while kids get special stickers and Santa hats, provided by the Friends of Jack Foundation.

"We're looking for toy donations to help the Friends of Jack Foundation. Jill Fearons has been such a big supporter of this cause and of me personally, and she's just a wonderful person who wants to donate all the Santa hats for the kids that are running this race," Pease said. "So we want to give back to her organization and to help kids in our area."

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Life-Changing Diagnosis

Scheduling the race for December 6 is significant for Pease. "I was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis on December 5th, so the race is taking place one day after that one year anniversary," she said.

The mom of four has been an inspiration in her community and her family, especially to her young children.

"I think when it first happened, they were scared because I was in the hospital for a series of days and I wasn't home with them, but they came to visit and I told them from the very beginning exactly what was going on with my body and what it would kind of look like for our family and for our lives," she said. "Luckily, not much has changed over time where I can still participate in everything for them and be there for them."

Though there are days, weeks and even months when she's battled tingles and numbness in her arms and legs, Pease has not let her symptoms stand in the way of what she loves.

Reason for Running

She's completed numerous marathons with her friend Kristen, who crossed the finish line alongside Pease this past September in Germany, adding yet another pair of medals to their collection.

"I ran for the MS Society there and my friend Kristen ran for MS UK," Pease said. "They're two organizations, nonprofit organizations that have really helped me kind of adapt and adjust and learn more about what this disease is and how to manage it."

So lace up those sneakers, gather your friends and family and show your support for Jen and the many others affected by MS with the Santa Stampede this December.

"I think with more people talking about it and raising awareness, the research that's being done out there and the money that's raised is significantly impacting the lives of people who are living with this."