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Sudbury resident Robin Wolk has been participating in the Jimmy Fund Walk for over 20 years. We caught up her to talk about this year’s walk, which is this Sunday, October 5. According to the organizers, it’s the “largest single-day walk fundraiser in the nation.” It supports the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, and has raised more than $185 million for adult and pediatric cancer care and research since 1989.
What inspired you to participate in this year’s Jimmy Fund Walk?
I have been participating in the Jimmy Fund Walk for over 20 years. I walk in memory of Patricia Stayn, a close family friend who died of Non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma in 2001.
Which route are you walking, and how are you preparing for it?
Our route has varied through the years but we mostly begin in Newton, with several meeting points along the route for our various Team Pat Stayn members who are unable to walk the full course.
Why do you think the Jimmy Fund Walk is such an important event for the community?
The walk is a very upbeat and inspiring experience for people of all ages. Dana Farber is an organizational powerhouse; from the mobilization of volunteers to the engagement of corporate sponsors to the impactful signage profiling patients and caregivers along the route. My kids are now older and out of the house, but from when they were in strollers through their high school years, participating in the Jimmy Fund Walk was always a highlight of their year!
What’s been the most meaningful part of your fundraising journey so far?
The Walk has been an opportunity for me to teach my kids about so many things; from the critical need for research and medicine to importance of philanthropy. It is a way to practice enduring friendships and honor those who are battling or have succumbed to cancer. It helps us practice gratitude and visibly appreciate the many staff who support patients and push to advance cancer research to continue to improve treatment and develop cures.
How can friends and neighbors in Sudbury support you and the Jimmy Fund’s mission?
I hope that anyone who can give, will give. Even $5 will be appreciated and used prudently by Dana Farber. If anyone is inspired to participate in the walk, that would be wonderful too, of course!
Readers interested in donating to Team Pat Stayn can do so by clicking here.