Weei/nesn Jimmy Fund Radio-telethon

Ludmila Svoboda, Program Nurse, Cancer Care Equity Program at Dana-Farber joins the show.  One of Ludmila’s responsibilities is to triage the patients as they come to the program for consultations. She obtains their health history and coordinates any referrals and care they may need.  Ludmila also does a lot of educational events in the community about cancer prevention, early diagnosis and screening.

Liz Rounseville, along with her Husband Robby, Son Owen, Daughter Lilly, and Doctor Beth Buchbinder join the show In March of 2018, Liz noticed a mole on her right leg near her knee that was itching and bothering her. Liz made an appointment with her dermatologist right away. As soon the dermatologist examined her, he told Liz that it was cancer but had to have it sent out for further testing.  When the test came back, Liz was diagnosed with melanoma and would need to go under surgery to have the cancer removed.  During her surgery, it was discovered that Liz’s cancer had spread to my lymph nodes. Not long ago, a diagnosis of malignant melanoma carried with it a very short life expectancy.  Thanks in large part to development of new immunotherapy drugs, which enable the body’s own immune system to recognize and destroy cancer cells, many people now diagnosed with the disease are living much longer with fewer complications.  Liz is one such patient who has benefited from immunotherapy and has also participate

Comedian Denis Leary joins Gresh and Keefe for the 20th annual WEEI/ NESN Jimmy Fund Radio Telethon. 

Inigo Vega ,10, with parents, Lyndell and Alfonso and Mary Ann Zimmerman, PNP, Pediatric Neuro Oncology Department, Dana-Farber  Inigo was diagnosed in September 2021. He had been sick, followed by trouble with his vision, so the ophthalmologist sent the family to the emergency room where an MRI showed a brain tumor. He was kept overnight due to very high intracranial pressure. His family was in shock and kept wondering how they had missed the signs.  The next day, Inigo had surgery to remove the tumor, but slipped into Posterior Fossa Syndrome, which happens to about 25% of patients who have surgery on a specific section of the brain and is a state of being fully conscious but unable to move your body. Inigo then had three more surgeries and began radiation therapy, followed by intensive physical and speech therapies.  After this, Inigo began in-patient chemotherapy, which he finished this past June and will begin maintenance chemotherapy at home in August.  Inigo enjoys riding this new three-wheeled bike,

Deb Goldberg and Mark Bracken of Find Mass Money join the show to make a donation!

Mark Singer 58, anaplastic thyroid cancer, Barrington, RI   In the early stages of the pandemic, Mark knew something was wrong when he noticed a small lump on his neck. Soon after, he went to an ER for testing and received a diagnosis of anaplastic thyroid cancer, a very serious form of the disease which prior to 2017 had a one-year survival rate of 10% -20%.  After Googling “Best Cancer Hospitals in New England,” Dana-Farber moved to the top of his list for care. Mark started with a year of immunotherapy treatments with Nivolumab, also known as Opdivo, and Dupixent, which he still currently takes, for any side effects. Immunotherapy is a new cancer treatment that allows the body’s own immune system to recognize and kill cancer cells.  Mark had a rapid and profound response and has shown no evidence of disease for over a year. In addition to immunotherapy, his care team was able to remove a cancerous tumor from his thyroid, several cancerous lymph nodes, and perform vocal-chord repaire surgery.  Today, Mar

David Ortiz joins the show to discuss the Jimmy Fund, Rafael Devers' contract situation, and of course, food. 

Eric Ricci , 54, kidney cancer, Peabody, and Dr. Brad McGregor, Genitourinary Oncology, Dana-Farber join the show What started as regular back pain, that could be explained as kidney-stones, soon evolved into extreme pain that called for medical attention. In December 2016, Eric was diagnosed with kidney cancer after a CAT scan identified a lump on his kidney and enlarged lymph nodes.  Shortly after his diagnosis, Eric endured a 9-hour long surgery and became involved with a clinical trial on the recommendation of his oncologist, Dr. Brad McGregor. From 2016 to January of this year, he received frequent immunotherapy treatments. Today, he receives treatment and scans every three weeks.  Eric is a School Resource Officer at eight schools in Peabody. He’s joined by a Black English Lab comfort dog, named Ella, whose namesake is a 4th grade girl who passed away from brain cancer at South School.  Eric also enjoys visiting Lake Ossipee, participating in charity work at the police station, and running an annual Pea

Dr. Laurie H. Glimcher, President and CEO, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Director of the Dana-Farber/Harvard Cancer Center and the Richard and Susan Smith Professor of Medicine at Harvard Medical School  Dr. Glimcher is a distinguished immunologist, widely renowned for her work in one of the most promising areas of cancer research.  Dr. Glimcher speaks nationally and internationally on cancer, immunology, and translational medicine and has contributed more than 350 scholarly articles and papers to medical literature.  Aside from her research efforts, Dr. Glimcher is a staunch proponent of improved access to care, health policy, and medical education, while simultaneously serving as a pioneering mentor and role model for cancer research trainees and for all women in science.  She was the first female to be appointed as dean of Weill Cornell Medicine in New York and is the first female President and Chief Executive Officer of Dana-Farber Cancer Institute in Boston. 

David Feldman joins Joe and Sean in the booth and talks about his diagnosis and what treatments he has gone through. David also talks about the research and advancements they still need to make when it comes to glioblastoma 

FREDERICK "FRED" KNIGHT, 28, JOINS JOE AND SEAN IN THE BOOTH TO TALK ABOUT HIS DIAGNOIS AND HOW HE CREDITS DANA-FARBER WITH SAVING HIS LIFE. 

Victoria "Tori" Rando, 33, lymphoma and Tanya Searle, 33, hodgkin's lymphoma join Joe and Sean in the booth and talk about how they met at the Jimmy Fund Clinic and the friendship that formed when they got treatment at the same time. 

Chris Vaughan,  Marketing  and Communications Manager of Cape Cod Lumber joins Joe and Sean in the booth 

Mut is joined by Red Sox Chairman Tom Werner to talk about the importance of the Jimmy Fund and the relationship between the Red Sox and the Jimmy Fund  

Anya had been complaining that her leg was sore, but her parents thought it was growing pains and it wasn't interfering with her daily life. After the family contracted COVID, the symptoms worsened and she started limping. They realized one leg looked substantially larger than the other and called Mayah's grandfather who was a pediatric cardiologist at Boston Children's Hospital. He knew it was osteosarcoma and they went to the emergency room right away, where the diagnosis was confirmed in January 2022. After the diagnosis, Anya had her first surgery and second surgeries to confirm the diagnosis and to place a central line in her chest. Anya and her mother, Jeni, cut their hair together in preparation for chemotherapy. Anya underwent six cycles of chemotherapy, each five weeks long. 

Mr. Donohue is one of the founders of Arbella and has been Chairman ofthe Board of Directors since the company’s creation in 1988 and chairs the boards of each of the subsidiary companies. He is responsible for the strategic planning and corporate policy for all of the companies of the Arbella Insurance Group – a leader in the New England property/casualtyinsurance industry - as well as the strategic planning and giving initiatives for the Arbella Insurance Foundation.   Since its inception in 2005, the Foundation has donated more than $36.6 million to charities across New England.

Amy Cheung was originally diagnosed with Stage II breast cancer in September 2015, at the age of 32. At that point, she was feeling the healthiest she had ever been and was training for a marathon. She happened to cough one day and in the process of clutching herself, felt a lump. Amy went to her primary doctor a few days later and from there, things moved quickly to a biopsy that confirmed cancer. She was treated then with chemotherapy, then surgery, and radiation and presumed to be cancer free. She continued with anti-hormone therapy to keep the cancer from coming back. In late 2019, Amy started experiencing some back pain that she chalked up to exercise. Then from Jan - April 2020, Amy started having regular, low-grade fevers. Finally, after feeling miserable for so long, she e-mailed her oncologist Dr. Hal Burstein and told him of her symptoms. Without delay, Dr. Burstein ordered scans for Amy, which unfortunately revealed extensive cancer metastases in her liver as well as metastases in her bones. Amy h

Samara had been experiencing fevers and constipation for several weeks before being diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) in May 2021. She has overcome the most intensive part of the treatment and is in remission. She continues weekly chemotherapy, steroid therapy, and will be on antibiotics throughout the rest of her treatment. Her treatment will continue for another year. Her doctor is Angela Ferraco. She currently attends Commonwealth Children's Center for preschool. In the fall, she will be attending Park Street School for kindergarten. Samara loves playing with her kitchen set at home. She prepares "meals" for her family, dolls, and stuffed animals. She also enjoys building with Legos, doing arts and crafts, playing in sprinklers, and going to playgrounds. 

Hannah was diagnosed with Grade 2 Diffuse Astrocytoma in April 2017 after having a seizure while sleeping. She had her first surgery and then went back to school to finish her senior year of high school. She is currently in a trial for treatment that is going well. Her doctors are Dr. David Reardon and nurse practitioner Jenn Stefanik. Hannah likes the environment at Dana-Farber, as everyone is professional and polite, and she feels like they are always good to work with. She feels the important thing is that Dana-Farber is a great place to be treated, and even though it's always a long day when coming in, they have helped her so much. Hannah will be a senior at the University of Maine this year. She works part time at a hotel and works with Behavioral Health professionals in Maine, assisting in socializing and doing activities with young people. She enjoys exercising and spending time on social media.

Rosemary was diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) in 2011 when she was an Events Coordinator in the Communications department at Dana Farber Cancer Institute. She underwent two years of treatment with many ups and downs. Five years after her treatment began, Rosemary had to receive a stem cell transplant to give her a new immune system and the chance of long-term survival. Her 100% match was a 20-year-old woman from Poland. Five years later, Rosemary still faces challenges from the transplant, but has maintained her faith, optimism, and upbeat outlook on life. She feels especially grateful to her husband, Jim, for all his support over the past 11 years. Rosemary feels Dr. Soiffer is one of the most kindhearted doctors and has unknowingly carried her through her ordeals with his actions, words, and dedication. She would not be here today if it were not for Dr. Soiffer, his incredible team, and the treatment at Dana-Farber. Rosemary appeared on WEEI in 2012.