Hopedale resident, Heather Jacob, registered for the Boston Marathon® Jimmy Fund Walk  presented by Hyundai after she was diagnosed with breast cancer.

In January of 2023, Heather was diagnosed with early-stage hormone positive breast cancer. She knew immediately that she wanted to get her care at Dana-Farber and began treatment at the Dana-Farber Milford outpost.  “The doctors and nurses actually listened to what was going on with me,” Heather describes. “They really made a very scary time for me and my family bearable.”

As part of Heather’s treatment plan, she was told to walk. She says the Hopedale Parklands kept her mind calm during a time of feeling fear. Now, Heather is cancer-free and looks forward to her first-time walking in the Jimmy Fund Walk. She walks to express her admiration for the excellent care she received at Dana Farber and so others don’t have to go through what her and her family experienced.

“With the right tools, we all can win against cancer. I want my daughter to not have to worry about me having a recurrence, and I certainly don’t want her to have to worry about herself getting cancer, as her chances are higher now,” said Heather. 

The 2024 Jimmy Fund Walk will take place on Sunday, October 6, and raises funds to support all forms of adult and pediatric patient care and cancer research at the nation’s premier cancer center, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute. Whether participating for themselves, loved ones, neighbors, or co-workers, each walker shares a common purpose: to defy cancer and support breakthroughs that will benefit cancer patients around the world.

Participants have the flexibility to choose from four distance options: 5K walk (from Dana-Farber Cancer Institute); 10K walk (from Newton); Half Marathon walk (from Wellesley); Marathon walk (from Hopkinton). Walkers can participate virtually, as well.

The Jimmy Fund Walk has raised more than $176 million for Dana-Farber Cancer in its 35-year history, raising a record-breaking $9.4 million in 2023. To register for the Walk (#JimmyFundWalk) or to support a walker, visit www.JimmyFundWalk.org or call (866) 531-9255.