Community Corner
Team Collier recognized for fundraising efforts
BOSTON– On March 2, Chandra Allard, of Quincy, Mass., and Laura Mancuso, of Somerville, Mass., were recognized with a “Spirit Award” at the Jimmy Fund and Dana-Farber Cancer Institute’s Third Annual Summit on Fundraising. The Annual Summit on Fundraising is an opportunity for Jimmy Fund’s top fundraisers to come together to hear the latest advances in cancer research and treatment from Dana-Farber’s doctors and researchers, network with fellow fundraisers, and learn exclusive fundraising tips from the pros at the Jimmy Fund.
The women are co-captains of Team Collier and were honored for their efforts by participating in, and raising funds for, the 2013 Boston Marathon® Jimmy Fund Walk presented by Hyundai.
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The inaugural “Spirit Award,” presented by WCVB-TV/Channel 5 Boston’s Pam Cross, was created to honor those who have demonstrated an extraordinary commitment to the mission of Dana-Farber and the Jimmy Fund.
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“We are grateful to everyone who participated in the 2013 Jimmy Fund events who are committed to raising awareness and funds to benefit the advancement of cancer research and treatment at Dana-Farber,” says Suzanne Fountain, director of the Jimmy Fund. “Chandra and Laura exemplify what the Spirit Award stands for and therefore we were honored to present it to them.”
The Boston Marathon® Jimmy Fund Walk presented by Hyundai is a one-day charity event that raises funds for the Jimmy Fund for lifesaving adult and pediatric patient care and cancer research at Dana-Farber. In 2013, Allard and Mancuso led Team Collier, a new group of 85 walkers formed in honor of fallen MIT police officer Sean Collier.
Collier Strong
To honor the life and service of Sean Collier, 27, and his longtime support of the Jimmy Fund, Team Collier was founded by Allard, a friend of Collier’s sister, and Mancuso, a member of Collier’s kickball team. Initially, the women started two teams in honor of Collier and later merged them to create a larger group who walked up to 26.2 miles in the 2013 Boston Marathon Jimmy Fund Walk.
Collier was a dedicated supporter of the Jimmy Fund since high school, making recurring gifts on a monthly basis. As high schoolers, Collier and his sister, Jennifer Lemmerman, heard about the Jimmy Fund while listening to the annual WEEI/NESN Jimmy Fund Radio-Telethon during a summer job they held together at a medical office.
“Sean would talk about the stories of the young cancer patients on our car ride home and you could tell they had an impact on him,” says Lemmerman. “He wanted to do something to help, so he set-up automatic payments from his bank account in order to make regular contributions to the Jimmy Fund and he did that up until he died.”
Lemmerman, a Melrose resident, walked with the team in the 2013 event and plans to participate in 2014. “A play on Boston Strong, Collier Strong has become a slogan for many members of the team. At every mile marker throughout the walk, teammates would shout - ‘How strong? Collier Strong!’ - and received a thumbs up or even hugs from spectators who were inspired by Sean’s story. I received a message prior to the event that the police chief in Hopkinton would like to meet the team before we start. He and several officers greeted us with messages of support. But, what we didn't know until that day, was that the police departments in the first several towns along the route were planning a police escort for the team, riding alongside us with their lights on in a show of support for Sean and everyone walking in his memory. It was amazing.”
Team Collier, which crossed the finish line together, wore matching t-shirts and exceeded its fundraising goal of $26,200 – a thousand dollars for every mile of the Boston Marathon route. In 2013, Team Collier raised more than $61,000 for the Boston Marathon Jimmy Fund Walk.
Spirit Awardees
“It was pretty special to be a part of the event. It was my first experience organizing a Walk team and I had no idea what to expect,” says Allard. “The response for our team in Sean’s memory was beautiful and overwhelming. I'll never forget the moment when I received the email notification that we surpassed our goal of $26,200, $1,000 for each mile of the Boston Marathon. We received financial contributions from all over the United States. Sean's love of life and his dedication to the Jimmy Fund and Dana-Farber’s mission put us over the top. There are no words to describe the bitter sweetness in being a part of something like this, but I am so thankful I was able to play a role.”
“My experience participating in the event was very meaningful,” says Mancuso. “Sean Collier was a good friend of mine. We had met playing adult kickball in 2011 on an extremely close knit team known as Kickhopopotamus. After Sean was killed, as a team, we began looking for things to do to both heal and honor Sean. When we heard that the Jimmy Fund was Sean's favorite charity, we knew we had to be involved. I was able to connect with Sean's siblings and hear other stories about him and share my own, which was nice.”
On Sunday, Sept. 21, Team Collier, will join more than 8,500 participants in the Walk. The 2014 event goal is to raise more than $7.5 million, bringing the Boston Marathon Jimmy Fund Walk’s 26-year fundraising total to more than $100 million.
“We thank Chandra and Laura for leading Team Collier during a time of uncertainty and sadness in the Boston community,” says Fountain. “Together, they dedicated themselves to conquering cancer, becoming the two top fundraisers on Team Collier and developing a deep connection to the Jimmy Fund and its Walk. Their leadership is an extension of the unwavering commitment that Sean maintained for years and they have inspired us and so many others to go the extra mile.”
The Boston Marathon Jimmy Fund Walk gives participants a unique opportunity to walk one of four routes along the historic Boston Athletic Association’s (BAA) Boston Marathon® course and to raise money for the Jimmy Fund and Dana-Farber.
To register for the 26th annual Boston Marathon Jimmy Fund Walk presented by Hyundai (#JimmyFundWalk) on Sept. 21, or to support a walker participant, visit www.JimmyFundWalk.org or call (866) 531-9255. Registration is easy and walkers can enter the discount code NEWS for $5 off.
About the Jimmy Fund
The Jimmy Fund (www.JimmyFund.org) solely supports Boston’s Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, raising funds for adult and pediatric cancer care and research to improve the chances of survival for cancer patients around the world. It is an official charity of the Boston Red Sox, as well as the official charity of 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 the Jimmy Fund save countless lives and reduce the burden of cancer for patients and families worldwide. Follow the Jimmy Fund on Facebook: www.facebook.com/thejimmyfund and on Twitter: @TheJimmyFund.
About Dana-Farber Cancer Institute
Dana-Farber Cancer Institute (www.dana-farber.org) is a principal teaching affiliate of the Harvard Medical School and is among the leading cancer research and care centers in the United States. It is a founding member of the Dana-Farber/Harvard Cancer Center, designated a comprehensive cancer center by the National Cancer Institute. It provides adult cancer care with Brigham and Women’s Hospital as Dana-Farber/Brigham and Women’s Cancer Center and it provides pediatric care with Boston Children’s Hospital as Dana-Farber/Boston Children’s Cancer and Blood Disorders Center. Dana-Farber is the top ranked cancer center in New England, according to U.S. News & World Report, and one of the largest recipients among independent hospitals of National Cancer Institute and National Institutes of Health grant funding. Follow Dana-Farber on Facebook: www.facebook.com/danafarbercancerinstitute and on Twitter: @danafarber.
