Par Fore the Cure
Speakers
Guest Emcee Darcie Fisher
Darcie Fisher spent the last 13 years for WLVI-TV's "Ten O Clock News". As the station's health reporter, Darcie covered many aspects of health news including numerous stories related directly to the Jimmy Fund Clinic at the Dana Farber Cancer Institute. She has been recognized for her work with two New England EMMY awards, most recently for "Outstanding Health and Science Reporting" in 2006.
As a native of Taunton, Massachusetts, Darcie has strong local ties, and is a graduate of Emerson College in Boston. Darcie volunteers her time for several local organizations, and is looking forward to participating in her fourth Jimmy Fund Walk this coming September.
Larry, III and Judith Theriault, Brain Tumor Survivors
Courage, determination and compassion are words that come to mind when thinking about twins Larry and Judith Theriault of Peabody. Now fourteen years old, Larry and Judith are living with brain tumors. Diagnosed at 6 months of age and first manifesting optic nerve tumors at age 2 and 3 respectively, Larry and Judith consistently make the most of life despite the challenges that each child faces on a daily basis.
Larry and Judith are kids who despite significant obstacles focus more on what they can do as opposed to what they can’t do. They thrive despite the uncertainties they face and the challenges life brings.
The benefits that they received through the Jimmy Fund spurred their interest several fund-raising events, as they have been actively involved in the Pan-Mass Challenge’s Pedal Partner Program, Jimmy Fund Walk, Boston Marathon, North Shore Cancer Walk and Relay for Life in hopes that others will benefit in the future. The also have performed onstage with Paul Newman at the annual Hole in the Wall Gang's gala fundraiser, singing selections from "The Music Man."
Parts of this bio taken from an article written by Kate Lund for the Brain Tumor Foundation. Read the full article here: www.childhoodbraintumor.org/Larry%20and%20Judith.pdf
See Larry and Judith on WBZ-4 last spring here:
wbztv.com/health/Peabody.Twins.Cancer.2.585841.html
Michelle Lipton, Brain Tumor Survivor
Michelle is a 45-year-old married, working mother of two teen-aged girls. She was diagnosed with Glioblastoma Multiforme (state IV) in November 2004. After being taken by ambulance to hospital, she had emergency surgery within 5 days, and the tumor was tumor removed. She completed radiation in January 2005, and chemotherapy March 2006. She had lots of the usual difficulties through-out the course of her treatment. Now, she says, life is very much back to normal, although, of course, she had to learn to live with the fear of waiting for the next shoe to drop; i.e., with MRIs every other month, she she lives with the ongoing concern of a possible recurrence.
Caroline Bridges, Guitarist, Cancer Survivor
By Jessica Ullian, BU Today web.bu.edu/today/slideshow/2007/09/30/truth-things-coming-back-cancer
At the beginning of December 2006, Caroline Bridges’ biggest concern was her upcoming final exams. A week later, her priorities had shifted drastically.
Bridges (COM’09) was diagnosed with acute lymphocytic leukemia, a blood cancer that affects about 5,000 people in the United States each year. Within seven days of her diagnosis, she had withdrawn from classes, moved out of her room, and started inpatient chemotherapy at the University of Chicago Hospital. As her treatment began, Bridges started chronicling her experiences online at This Be My (B)log, carolineb-log.blogspot.com/ which was voted one of BU’s best blogs in last year’s BU Today Show Us Your Blogs contest.
Now, Bridges — who turned 21 in October — went back to BU in September 2007, taking classes, working at the Fitness and Recreation Center, and continuing chemotherapy treatments. She says that she has been looking forward to her return to campus for months, but is now finding that her perspective on college life — and her sense of belonging — has changed.
