This October my family and I are walking to raise money for the Jimmy Fund to benefit the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute.
On Thanksgiving Day in 2018 my nephew Michael was diagnosed with leukemia. Our favorite holiday was marked as the scariest day of our lives. We were shaken to the core and thought, "how are we going to get through this?"
We didn't know it at the time, but on that early morning in November, our support system grew by about 5,000 people (read: superheroes) working at Dana-Farber.
Over the next year, our new normal was defined by hospital stays, Jimmy Fund days, fevers, medical jargon, and the ups and downs of Michael's treatment regimen. During a year with so many scary questions and what-ifs, we were always able to turn to Dana-Farber and the Jimmy Fund to get answers.
One year later, we all gathered around the Thanksgiving table at my parents' house. We ate, we laughed, we ate more, laughed a little more, and then ate more dessert. Thanks to the support from everyone at Dana-Farber and the Jimmy Fund, it felt like a very normal day after a year of very abnormal days.
There will come a time when Michael doesn't visit Dana-Farber regularly for treatment anymore, but we will never forget that first year, filled with overflowing support from strangers at Dana-Farber and beyond.
If 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 highly compassionate cancer 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 participation in the Boston Marathon Jimmy Fund Walk. Together, we can conquer cancer!
