Lindsey's Fundraising Page

My name is Lindsey Sylvain, currently I am 29 years old and not only captain of this team but a two time childhood Leukemia survivor. My story starts 22 years ago. On February 16th of 2002 I was diagnosed with ALL Leukemia at just shy of the young age of 7 years old. After two years I had finished my chemo and was in remission and stayed that way for about one more year. Then on May 3rd of 2005 I was told my cancer had come back and I had sadly relapsed at the age of almost 10 years old. I was so young and had already battled this gruesome disease once. To make matters worse this time around my options were cut in half as I was sadly now allergic to many of the major chemotherapy medications they normally utilize. With minimal viable treatment plans left, it was then decided we would try for a bone marrow transplant.  Thankfully, we had our guardian angels watching over us and ended up finding a match on the national bone marrow registry. We had found a 12 out of 12 match perfect, which as the doctors called it “a complete miracle” since it came from a complete stranger(at the time, now she's family) nonetheless. I received a bone marrow transplant on July 22, 2005. From that day on I began what the cancer world refers to as my second birthday and new shot at living a healthy life.

The Dana Farber and Jimmy Fund have been my home away from home almost my entire life at this point, considering only about six years were ever spent not going there. I have known the world of childhood cancer longer than I ever knew the world without it. I have been a patient of the Jimmy Fund for as long as I can remember and will have to continue the rest of my life as cancer is not just done once you’ve beaten it, especially those with blood related or aggressive cancers. I’m now a proud patient of the Jimmy Fund’s adult/survivorship clinic, the Perini Clinic, which specializes in adult survivors who were diagnosed in childhood and will require forever care. I am eternally grateful for the Jimmy Fund and the utmost compassionate patient centered care they provide to not only their patients but our families as well. It is only fitting now that I am a healthy and thriving adult, that I pay forward all the care the Jimmy Fund has always and will always provide to me.

Ever since I was first diagnosed my family and I have been helped by amazing people. We have received some of the most generous and kind support we could never say enough thank you’s for. Once I got healthy enough, paying the kindness our family once received, forward became a big priority to myself and those close to me. I may not be a cancer cure finding scientist but one thing I do well is fight this disease, but now as a survivor. One of my biggest goals in life is to find a cure for cancer and to help spread hope and inspiration to as many as I can. And to end the “you have cancer” talk that sucks the breath right out of everyone the second those words are spoken. Together with events like this we can do that! It is only fitting that now as a healthy and thriving adult, I pay forward all the love and care the Jimmy Fund has always and will continue to always give me.

The Jimmy Fund and Dana Farber saved my life not once but twice. Without the Jimmy Fund I would not be the woman I am today, or have been able to accomplish everything I have. The Jimmy Fund and their constant strive for a cure for cancer and better cancer care are what kept me here. This hospital is the reason I was still here to graduate college, marry the love of my life, enter law school to become a patients’ right advocate, and everything in between.

When you make a gift to my Walk, you’re directly supporting Dana-Farber Cancer Institute’s unique 50-50 balance between cutting-edge research and compassionate patient care. Your support allows Dana-Farber leaders to enhance programs and initiatives that serve pediatric and adult patients and their families.

Please find it in your heart to help me raise as much as we can to end not just childhood cancer but all cancer! Every penny counts and every donation is appreciated more than you will ever know.

Thank you for supporting my Jimmy Fund Walk fundraising efforts. Together, we can defy cancer