In Honor of Ellen's Fundraising Page

For six years, Ellen battled cancer with a quiet strength and grace that surprised no one who knew her. She did everything in her power, everything suggested by her team at Dana-Farber to try and keep her cancer at bay, enduring surgeries, radiation, a near-constant biweekly regimen of chemotherapy, and their collective years of accumulating side effects with little more than a shrug of her shoulders when asked how she's doing, quick to deflect sympathy, always suggesting others have it far worse.

Her grit and determination allowed Lucas and Teddy to grow up with their Nana, and indeed gave all of her family and friends more precious time to lean on her for her support and advice and comfort and humor.

Ellen passed away on December 11, and though we are devastated, we are facing the days, weeks, and months ahead with the same resolve and courage that Ellen displayed throughout these past six years, and really throughout her life.

Together with her family and friends, we surprised Ellen by raising $5,000 to name a gene in Dana-Farber's beautiful gene display, leaving a permanent legacy for Ellen. However, friends and family continued to donate generously, and the money raised above and beyond that initial goal is now being used under the direction of her doctor, Brian Wolpin, to support his research to continue improving the understanding and treatment of this disease.

In lieu of flowers, please consider making a donation to this page so that other patients and families will one day benefit from the advances that are made at Dana-Farber. We know it would mean a lot to Ellen, as it does to her family and friends.

Thank you.