Weei/nesn Jimmy Fund Radio-telethon

Chastity’s primary care doctor originally thought the abdominal pain may be agallbladder issue, but blood work confirmed that this would be the beginning of her journey as she was diagnosed with stage 4 colorectal cancer. She started treatment with 13 rounds of chemotherapy, but the cancer was continuously deemed inoperable, and that she’d have to continue this treatment for life. She realized that she wouldn’t be able to see her boys, Brady and Connor, grow up, so she sought out a second opinion from two other doctors. They informed Chastity that she’d be a great candidate for ALPPS, an advanced surgery that could remove her liver tumors. After completing both parts of the surgery, she needed to deal with complicationsbefore receiving further chemotherapy. She was declared NED, or “no evidence of disease,” until a nodule was spotted on her lung that was a potential cause for concern. , The tumor was eventually removed and declared as metastatic colon cancer. Chastity is now NED once again and is approaching

Head coach from the reigning Stanley Cup champion Vegas Golden Knights and former Bruins' coach Bruce Cassidy talks about how he is still celebrating his Stanley Cup win and how Boston will always remain a big part of his life including the Jimmy Fund.

Lisa has worked in the Jimmy Fund Clinic for more than 30 years. Lisa and her team are responsible for the programs that help take the patients and their families' minds off of the treatment. In the past, they have hosted a Summer Festival, Winterfest and Teen Red Sox Spring Training Trips and Girls Weekend. They also plan programs for parents whose children are being treated at the Jimmy Fund Clinic and for siblings of patients in treatment.

Izzy was diagnosed with b-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia in January 2022. She had a fever and some bruises on her skin which looked pronounced because she was especially pale. She went to the doctor for bloodwork, where it she was diagnosed with leukemia. Her treatment plan has included chemotherapy and she is slated to complete active treatment in Spring 2024. ALL is the most common type of childhood cancer. It most often occurs in children ages 3 to 5 and affects slightly more boys than girls. About 3,000 people younger than age 20 are found to have ALL each year in the United States. Emily is a certified child life specialist in the Jimmy Fund Clinic at Dana-Farber.

Norma was diagnosed with blastoma in February 2019. She had headaches, nausea, and vomiting that kept getting worse. She was sent to a neurologist, where testing revealed that she had a tumor in her head. Her treatment has included many surgeries on her head, radiation, and chemotherapy. She was in remission until 2021, but then her cancer returned in her head and her spine. She is still in active treatment. Norma loves mini golf, bowling, board games, Uno, Bingo, and Go Fish. Neuroblastoma is by far the most common cancer in infants (younger than 1 year old). There are about 700 to 800 new cases of neuroblastoma each year in the United States. This number has remained about the same for many years. Amanda (Andie) Cunningham is a certified child life specialist in the Jimmy Fund Clinic at Dana-Farber.

Gresh and Fauria are joined by UMass basketball and football coach Frank Martin on the Harbor One Hotline to talk about his fight and how it has inspired him as a coach.

Alan had already been living with a rare auto-immune disease for years, so when he discovered blood in his urine while in California for a WHO concert, he knew something else was wrong. He returned home earlier than planned and through an ultrasound, a urologist confirmed that he had a mass on his right kidney. Alan had the kidney removed but desired a more aggressive follow-up. He came to Dana-Farber and at the time was seeing Dr. David Braun. It was decided that Alan would come in every 3 months to monitor any growth. Through ongoing scans, some nodules were identified on his left lung and after a biopsy, were identified as cancer in June 2021. At that point Dr. Braun left Dana-Farber for a new position out of Boston, so Alan began working with Dr. Xu on his care plan. Alan had lung surgery a month later and started a clinical trial shortly after. During this time, he began walking more in his free time and after learning about Dana-Farber's Marathon Walk, he signed up to participate in May of 2022. Alan ev

Beth woke up on December 1, 2021, with what appeared to be hives, which led to two weeks of doctor visits. She then felt symptoms such as fatigue, nausea, vomiting and migraines. On the December 24, 2021, she was diagnosed with acute myeloid leukemia and began her first round of treatment. Her treatment has included induction, consolidation, and conditioning chemotherapy.She also received a bone marrow transplant in May 2022. During this time, the nurses made her treatment go by smoothly. She is currently on maintenance treatment and has been considered in remission since December 2022. Dr. Soiffer is chairman of the Center for International Blood and Marrow TransplantResearch advisory committee and has served as vice president (2006), president (2007), and immediate past president (2008) of the American Society of Blood and Marrow Transplantation.

Former Bruins Captain Patrice Bergeron joins and talks about what's next

Former Boston Mayor and current President of the NHLPA Marty Walsh joins the show to share his experience with the Jimmy Fund and Dana Farber

Sriram "Sri" Srikant (SHREE-ram "SHREE" SHREE-cant), 33, bile duct cancer, Cambridge, withThomas A. Abrams, MD, Institute Physician of Gastrointestinal Cancers, Dana-Farber· For a few months in early 2022, Shree was experiencing abdominal distress thatprogressively worsened. Eventually, he was unable to eat solid foods. He visited his primary carephysician who informed him that it looked like he had a large growth duct on his liver/pancreasleading to the digestive system. He initially hoped for surgery, but additional scans confirmedthat the cancer was metastatic.· For treatment, Shree started chemotherapy, radiation, and immunotherapy; since thenhe’s almost continuously been receiving immunotherapy and just restarted chemotherapy. Sideeffects have been minimal because of Shree’s young age and good health, according to hisdoctor, Dr. Abrams.· As a post-doctoral scientist at MIT, Shree has been able to understand and appreciatethe details of his journey, but it’s also been more difficult to accept what the fut

Michelle O'Brien, 52, uterine and breast cancer, Needham

Lisa Blanchard, Chief Clinical Officer (COO)and Marybeth Adams, Executive Director of Inpatient Services at New England Recovery Center in Westboro

Ramie Darling (RAY-ME), 10, hepatoblastoma (heh-puh-tow-bla-stow-muh), Boston, withKatie (mom), Raymond “Ramie” Sr., and Allison O'Neill, MD, pediatric oncologist, Jimmy FundClinic, Dana-Farber· Ramie is from Vero Beach, FL and came to Dana-Farber specifically to see Dr. AllisonO’Neill, who leads the pediatric liver tumor center in the Jimmy Fund Clinic. He was diagnosedin December 2022 with Stage IV Hepatoblastoma, a liver cancer. Ramie’s treatment has included8 months of chemotherapy, liver surgery, and he also had a full liver transplant. He is slated tobe done with active treatment after about 2 more months of chemotherapy.· He is a huge Boston sports fan and recently got the amazing opportunity to meetPatriots quarterback Mac Jones. He attended a training camp practice as well as a game, wherehe spent time with Mac and played catch on the field. It was an incredible experience. He saysthat he is a Boston sports fan because Florida gave him cancer, but Boston cured his cancer.Hepatoblastoma facts· Hepatob

Anne Gross, PhD, RN, NEA-BC, FAAN. Senior Vice President, Patient Care Services and Chief Nursing Officer, Dana-Farber· Anne Gross, PhD, RN, is senior vice president for patient care services and chief nursing officer. There are more than 700 registered nurses, nurse practitioners, clinical specialists, and nurse scientists working at all Dana-Farber locations.· Anne can give insight into the growth of Dana-Farber's regional campuses that make receiving care easier and more convenient. For example, care is available now in Merrimack Valley, Foxborough and Chestnut Hill and the team reconfigured the Yawkey Center to accommodate current and future growth. This work is grounded in our commitment to safe,high-quality patient care, interdisciplinary teamwork, and relationship-based care – a modelthat has long distinguished us as leaders amongst our peers.· This year Dana-Farber was the recipient of the Oncology Nursing Society OutstandingEmployer Award – recognizing one organization annually for the investment it

Ernie Boch Jr joins the show and donates $100,000 to the Jimmy Fund!

Kate Nixon, Adolescent Specialist, Jimmy Fund Clinic, Dana-Farber· Some of Kate’s earliest memories are from Jimmy Fund Clinic events, as her mom is apediatric oncology Clinical Educator at Boston Children’s. Every year she brought Kate and hersiblings to the Jimmy Fund Summer Festival.· What Kate remembers is how families reacted to her mom, embracing her like along-lost relative, sharing updates on their families since the last time they saw her, and exudingso much gratitude for the care their child received at the Jimmy Fund Clinic. It was during theseinteractions that Kate realized what an amazing place the Jimmy Fund was and hoped to workthere one day herself.· Twenty-something years later, Kate is proud to be part of the team that makes the JimmyFund Clinic such an amazing place. As an adolescent specialist, Kate works with patients ages13+, providing activities to pass the time in Clinic, help facilitate 3 activity-based support groups,and helping plan the Clinic trips.· She says: “Everyone of us on th

Robert Hale, President and CEO of Granite Telecommunications issues a $750,000 donation match challenge! Rob currently serves on Copley’s investment committee and as an entrepreneur inresidence to assist the development of Copley’s portfolio companies. Rob founded GraniteTelecommunications in 2002 and has grown the company into one of the largest privately heldtelecommunications services companies in the U.S., with revenues exceeding $1.5 billion.· Rob is the founder and board chair of Fox Rock Capital, a single-family office based inBoston, founding owner of FoxRock Properties, a commercial real estate firm, and is co-ownerof the NBA’s Boston Celtics.· Rob lives in the Boston area with his wife and three children. He serves on the Board ofTrustees for Boston Children’s Hospital, Brigham & Women’s Hospital, the South Shore YMCA,and the Massachusetts Soldiers Legacy Fund.· Robert Hale Sr. Rob Jr.'s father was a patient at the Dana-Farber and died in 2008 frompancreatic cancer.· Rob and his family are phila

Former Red Sox CY Young pitcher, Jim Lonborg, and his wife, Rosie, join Joe Castiglione and Will Flemming in the booth to discuss the importance of the Jimmy Fund. 

Red Sox President Sam Kennedy and Laurie H. Glimcher, CEO of Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, join Joe & Will to kick off this year’s WEEI/NESN Jimmy Fund Radio-Telethon presented by Arbella Insurance!