BOSTON — Fourteen Westford residents joined thousands of participants on Sunday, Oct. 4, for the 38th annual Jimmy Fund Walk for Dana-Farber. Walkers included a local cancer survivor who participated after undergoing extensive treatment for a rare form of the disease.
Resident Laura Goodman participated as a Walk Hero alongside fellow residents Kate Olson, Leigh DeMarco and others taking part in the annual fundraiser supporting adult and pediatric cancer research and patient care at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute.
Goodman was diagnosed in 2023, with a rare and aggressive cancer that had only a handful of documented cases worldwide. With little existing research or established treatment protocols available for her specific cancer, Goodman said she entrusted her treatment to specialists at Dana-Farber.
According to Goodman, genetic and DNA testing helped her medical team identify a combination of chemotherapy drugs they believed could target the cancer. Treatment also included extensive surgery that removed her colon and spleen, as well as portions of her pancreas and stomach.
Goodman said the treatment put her in remission.
Her case involved a large team of Dana-Farber specialists, Goodman said, with her cancer regularly discussed during tumor board meetings as doctors worked to determine a treatment approach.
Goodman has since used her experience to raise money for the institution that treated her.
Goodman participated in the half-marathon route during this year’s Jimmy Fund Walk, marking her second Jimmy Fund half marathon. Ahead of the event, she had raised more than $8,500 toward a $10,000 fundraising goal.
“Thanks to the research and treatment at Dana-Farber, I am here today,” Goodman wrote in a fundraising message. “My mission is to pay it forward in every way possible.”
Goodman also served as one of the event’s Walk Heroes, adult and pediatric patients who share their experiences and provide inspiration to participants. Heroes are matched with teams that walk in their honor. Goodman was matched with the Volunteer Services team.
The Jimmy Fund Walk followed the Boston Marathon course and offered four distance options ranging from a 5K to a full marathon. Participants also had the option to take part virtually.
The 2025 walk raised more than $11.2 million for Dana-Farber Cancer Institute.
The in-person routes concluded at Boston Common near Charles and Beacon streets, where participants were welcomed with a finish-line celebration featuring food and entertainment.
