Upon learning she had brain cancer in early 2016, Connie Etheridge immediately thought, “Thank goodness it’s me, and not my children.” Then, three months later, her son Trevor, 23, found out he too had brain cancer. It was a devastating double diagnosis, but the Etheridges have been by each other’s side through check-ups, radiation, and…
Often referred to as an “Ambassador of Hope” Wendy O’Neil joins 51 other Dana-Farber patients as a 2017 Jimmy Fund Walk Hero in the Boston Marathon® Jimmy Fund Walk presented by Hyundai. As a Jimmy Fund Walk Hero, Wendy’s picture will appear on the mile-markers that line the Boston Marathon course to inspire participants to…
By Jim Donovan It’s not easy to talk about losing a friend to cancer. Several years ago, my good friend from college died of prostate cancer. I never imagined that years later, I would be touched by cancer again. This time, even closer to home. In 2013, my brother John, a successful entrepreneur, was diagnosed…
Maureen Twomey had a lifelong love of learning. She was an avid reader, and had earned degrees from both Tufts University and Harvard University. She also would complete the notoriously difficult crossword puzzle in The New York Times, and enjoyed going to museums. Throughout a difficult two-year battle with esophageal cancer, Maureen found that her…
Seventeen-year-old Evan Yu loves to draw and enjoys outdoor activities such as kayaking and fishing. Combining his love for the ocean and art, Evan designed a beautiful underwater scene for one of two bags available this year to purchase in HomeGoods stores nationwide. Proceeds from the purchase of each bag support HomeGood’s “Help Families Fight…
Recently, loyal Dana-Farber and Jimmy Fund supporters provided something vital to our youngest patients in addition to their ongoing commitment to conquer cancer: they helped provide smiles. These dedicated people are members of Dana-Farber’s Jimmy’s Team, supporting the Institute’s lifesaving mission each month with their generous recurring gifts. New members receive a special limited-edition Boston…
In September of 2011, my wife, Angela, was diagnosed with glioblastoma multiforme, an aggressive type of brain cancer. She was already a 10-year breast cancer survivor. Four months after her surgeries, Angela was spending most of her days in bed and, if we did go out, she needed a wheelchair to get around. At our…
Lisa Conway frequently shopped at the Cape Cancer Thrift Shop in West Barnstable, Mass., because she liked the unique selection of items for sale. She had no idea that the store’s mission benefitted a cause very dear to her and her husband, Gary. While browsing merchandise one day, Lisa overheard a member of the all-volunteer…
Lydia Schoenfeld’s family has been deeply touched by breast cancer. Her grandmother fought it; her older sister, Marlene Lynn Schoenfeld, survived it; and sadly, her younger sister, Iris Rona Schoenfeld, succumbed to it. It was awful for Lydia to see her sisters face this difficult disease, as well as the toll it took on her…
On a typical Monday, Ryan Marsh can be found at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute sitting alongside his mother, who has been undergoing cancer treatment for triple-negative breast cancer. “On one of our more recent trips, my mom and I counted that we’ve probably been to Dana-Farber nearly 100 times in the last three years. We spend…