Above: The Jimmy Fund is promoting Southborough walkers you can support through their upcoming annual fundraising event, and the opportunity to join the crowd. (contributed images)
On Sunday, October 5th, Southborough residents will be among those walking “Together against cancer”, raising money for the Jimmy Fund — including at least two following the entire Boston Marathon route.
A few of the walkers’ fundraising pages spell out why the cause is personal for them. And one young resident is being highlighted as a “Walk Hero”.
I’m sharing their news, along with how you can support or join them (including options as short as a 5K).
The 37th Annual Jimmy Fund Walk supports Dana-Farber. Proceeds are used for research and patient care.
A press release shared information on several people from our town that have already pre-registered to walk. Below are highlights from the release, along with information on and from their fundraising pages.
The release spotlights Colin Martinsen, a four year old “Jimmy Fund Walk Hero”:
Walk Heroes are Dana-Farber patients who provide inspiration and motivation to walkers along the course. Heroes are matched with Jimmy Fund Walk teams who walk in their honor. Colin was diagnosed with Wilms tumor. His mom Kate walks on team Colin’s Crew and Colin is matched with team Such Devotion, for the second year in a row.
“Colin’s world is full throttle— cars, t-ball, and trouble,” Kate writes. “At the Jimmy Fund Clinic, his nurse takes him on stealthy snack raids (he always sneaks an extra lollipop for his sister, Maggie). Thank you, walkers—or in Colin’s little words, “Kank you, walkers!”
Kate Martinsen‘s personal fundraising page describes Colin as “a childhood cancer survivor whose courage and resilience inspire me every day.” She follows:
Thanks to groundbreaking research and compassionate care he received at Dana Farber, Colin is here, smiling and thriving (and finding trouble wherever he goes- like all 4 year olds should). I walk with deep gratitude, fierce hope, and a commitment to help other families facing the same fight. Every step brings us closer to cures, to comfort, and to brighter futures. I also walk in memory of my mom’s cousin’s precious great-granddaughter, Layla, who passed away this year at just two years old after a brave fight with brain cancer. It’s a devastating reminder that no child—and no parent—should ever have to face such pain.This walk is my way of celebrating the fighters, honoring the angels, and fueling the breakthroughs that will spare more families from these terrible battles. Every step carries love, gratitude, and unwavering determination to create a future without childhood cancer.
The Bazikas family is also walking again this year. Renata, Vytas, and Ula are each registered to walk for team Viltis. Ula’s page explains:
My brother, Gabrielius (“Gabi”), was diagnosed with AML leukemia at just 3½ years old. My parents spent six intense months at Dana-Farber and Boston Children’s Hospital during his treatment. Thanks to the incredible care he received, Gabi has now been in remission for over 19 years — and just graduated from Salve Regina University this past May!
We started “Walking” in 2007, and over the years, we have raised over $75,000 through your generous donations. This year will be the third year my dad (Vytas Bazikas) and I complete the full marathon walk together!
And Diane Porter shared on her page her very personal connection with the cause:
This will be my fourth year participating in either the Jimmy Fund Walk or the half-marathon for Dana-Farber. In 2025, the cancer stopped responding to the treatment I was on, and the tumors began to grow. I was fortunate to join a clinical trial at Dana-Farber in April 2025, and I am currently still on it. Since starting the study drug, the tumors have become smaller and fewer, which has been very encouraging. I am hopeful that the longer I stay on it, the tumors will eventually vanish and I will achieve a full recovery
Below are the fundraising pages I found for three other residents the release highlighted:
The release promotes that this year’s goal for “iconic” annual fundraiser is to raise $9.5 million for “the effort to prevent, treat, and defy cancer”.
Those interested in joining them can sign up to walk the Boston Marathon route from Hopkinton or a portion of it — 5K (from Dana-Farber’s Longwood Medical Campus) 10K (from Newton) or Half Marathon (from Wellesley). All routes end at the same finish line, where activities will include a celebration with food and entertainment. (Alternatively, you can also sign up to “walk virtually in your own community.”)
The release quotes Caitlin Fink, vice president of The Jimmy Fund encouraging:
Every participant contributes directly to advancing lifesaving research and critically important cancer care. Walk Day is more than just an event—it’s a celebration of hope and the shared commitment of the Jimmy Fund community.
Below are more details shared about the Jimmy Fund and Dana -Farber:
About the Jimmy Fund
The Jimmy Fund, established in Boston in 1948, is comprised of community-based fundraising events and other programs that, solely and directly, benefit Dana-Farber Cancer Institute’s lifesaving mission to provide compassionate patient care and groundbreaking cancer research for children and adults. The Jimmy Fund is an official charity of the Boston Red Sox, the Massachusetts Chiefs of Police Association, the Pan-Mass Challenge, and the Variety Children’s Charity of New England. Since 1948, the generosity of millions of people has helped Dana-Farber save countless lives and reduce the burden of cancer for patients and families worldwide. Follow the Jimmy Fund on Facebook, X, and Instagram: @TheJimmyFund.
About Dana-Farber Cancer Institute
Dana-Farber Cancer Institute is one of the world’s leading centers of cancer research and treatment. Dana-Farber’s mission is to reduce the burden of cancer through scientific inquiry, clinical care, education, community engagement, and advocacy. Dana-Farber is a federally designated Comprehensive Cancer Center and a teaching affiliate of Harvard Medical School.
Dana-Farber provides the latest treatments in cancer for adults through Dana-Farber Brigham Cancer Center and for children through Dana-Farber/Boston Children’s Cancer and Blood Disorders Center. Dana-Farber is the only hospital nationwide with a top 5 U.S. News & World ReportBest Cancer Hospital ranking in both adult and pediatric care.
As a global leader in oncology, Dana-Farber is dedicated to a unique and equal balance between cancer research and care, translating the results of discovery into new treatments for patients locally and around the world, offering more than 1,100 clinical trials.
