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WHY WE'RE FUNDRAISING WITH THE JIMMY FUND WALK TO FIGHT CANCER
John W. Brien, 68, of Salem, NH passed away peacefully on November 10, 2020, just five months after he was diagnosed with glioblastomas, an aggressive form of brain cancer.
John was one of the good guys who believed that his primary purpose was to assist others. He was a humble and selfless helper who could thoughtfully handle even the most difficult situations. He loved connecting with strangers and establishing common ground.
His deep love and devotion to his family was the catalyst for his fundraising journey for the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute (DFCI) and the Jimmy Fund. His sister, Rosemary “Rosie” Brien Brodette, lost her valiant fight against brain cancer in 2003. In 2004, as a tribute to Rosemary and others afflicted with cancer, Rosie's family formed “Rosie's Walk” and joined the Boston Marathon Jimmy Fund Walk in an effort to raise money for cancer care and research. With great enthusiasm and optimism, John participated in the fundraising walk for seven years.
In 2013, at the age of 61, John decided to channel much of his passion, abundant energy and infectious spirit to the Dana-Farber Marathon Challenge to raise funds for DCFI's Claudia Adams Barr Program in Innovative Basic Cancer Research. John ran four marathons over the past seven years and raised nearly $100,000. He ran in memory of his sister, Rosie, and his father, Al Brien, who also passed away from brain cancer. In addition, John ran in support of his Patient Partner, Caroline Hamilton, who he always said was with him every step of the way.
Your generous contribution will support the innovative research of Dr. David Reardon, MD, Clinical Director for the Center for Neuro-Oncology and his colleagues at the DCFI. In the January 2019 issue of Nature, Dr. Reardon and his colleagues were the first to show that a personalized neoantigen vaccine can stimulate a response against glioblastoma; the vaccine helps rally immune T cells into the brain tumor. The vaccine, known as NeoVax, is based on research at Dana-Farber conducted by Catherine Wu, MD, a pioneer in the field of therapeutic vaccines.
John's family is so grateful for your willingness to continue his legacy and support his commitment to funding cancer research, care and treatment.
To learn more about John's life, please read his obituary.
THANK YOU TO OUR TEAM MEMBERS
= Team CaptainTHANK YOU TO OUR TEAM DONORS
