I am participating in the 2022 Boston Marathon® Jimmy Fund Walk presented by Hyundai, adding my steps to all these others walking toward the ultimate finish line: a world without cancer. Here is my story:
A brain seizure in the last week of December 2018 Ieft me unconscious and landed me in a Boston EMS ambulance headed for the nearest emergency room. I came to somewhere along the route. Then came some hard news - I had a large tumor on the right frontal lobe of my brain.
What followed was a whirlwind of appointments, MRI scans, tests, more MRIs, and removal of my tumor by an amazing neurosurgical team at Brigham and Women's Hospital. Two weeks later, pathology results confirmed that my tumor was malignant. That is when I landed at Dana-Farber, under the care of Dr. David Reardon and his neuro oncology team.
I made my first Jimmy Fund Walk while undergoing chemotherapy in 2019, followed by virtual walks in 2020 and 2021. I walk because I feel lucky to be alive. I walk to recognize all the doctors, nurses, technicians and patients at Dana Farber who have helped me get this far, and to remember the good friends I've made and lost along the way.
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.
Thank you for supporting my Jimmy Fund Walk fundraising efforts. Together, we can defy cancer!
With very best wishes to you and your family,
Christopher Barnett
