Who
is "Jimmy"? 
"During
his treatment for cancer in the late 1940s, 'Jimmy' longed
for a television set so he could watch his favorite baseball team — the
Boston Braves. His wish was granted after Ralph Edwards interviewed
him on the national "Truth or Consequences" radio show
on May 22, 1948.
"During
the broadcast, Edwards spoke to the young cancer patient from his
Hollywood studio
as Braves players crowded into Jimmy's
hospital room. The show ended with a plea for listeners to send donations
so Jimmy could get his TV set. Not only did he get his wish, but
more than $200,000 was collected and the Jimmy Fund was born." (From
The Jimmy Fund website)
Jimmy
was a regular kid, just like someone in your neighborhood. He
lived his life, and battled his disease. Some people thought "Jimmy"
died, but it turns out, Jimmy conquered his cancer, and lived
until 2001. He ended up becoming a bit of a celebrity when he
finally
revealed his identity in 1998. For the last few years of his
life,
he continued to talk about the deeds of The Jimmy Fund, and the
work done by The Dana-Farber Institute. Learn
about the real Jimmy here!
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What Does The Jimmy Fund Do?
The
following information is found on their website, JimmyFund.org but
program is described this way:
"Since
its founding in 1948, the Jimmy Fund has supported the fight against
cancer in children and adults at Boston's Dana-Farber Cancer Institute,
helping to raise the chances of survival for cancer patients around
the world."
For
every dollar raised, Dana-Farber directs an average of 88 cents
towards it's ultimate goals of conquering cancer and cancer related
diseases, and the fear and psychological issues faced by those
confronting
the illness. One of the programs
is the pediatric cancer clinic, the Jimmy
Fund Clinic, a research
and treatment center.
The
program also has a partnership with the Boston
Red Sox, and many
events the Red Sox sponsor assist the Jimmy Fund throughout the
year. From greeting cards, to Massachusetts license plates, the
partnership works through out the year. There is even a way for
fans to have a Fantasy Day, with funds donated
directly
to
the
charity. And, the late Ted Williams has a special place within
The Jimmy Fund, as a visitor to patients of the Dana-Farber Clinic.
There is a memorial
fund in his honor.
Do you want to donate directly to The Jimmy Fund in
Honor of Jeanne Shippey?
Do you want to donate directly to Jeanne Shippey's
medical care?
Back
to Top Unique
programs at Dana-Farber include:(From The Jimmy
Fund Website)
- The
Gillette Center for Women's Cancers, which offers comprehensive,
multidisciplinary care to women with breast or gynecological
cancers.
- The
Friends of Dana-Farber Cancer Risk and Prevention Clinic, established
in 1993 as one of the first genetic testing programs
for members of families
with an inherited susceptibility to cancer.
- The
David B. Perini, Jr. Quality of Life Clinic, which provides
survivors of childhood or adolescent cancers with medical,
educational and psychosocial
services.
- The
Patient and Family Advisory Council, a group of adult patients,
family members, and Dana-Farber staff who advocate
on behalf of patients
and families
at DFCI and Brigham and Women's Hospital. The council brings the
perspective of survivors to the administration and staff to help
with decision
making and problem solving.
- The
Eleanor and Maxwell Blum Patient and Family Resource Center,
which houses pertinent books, pamphlets, audio and video tapes,
and computers
with World
Wide Web access to help patients and family members find information
on cancer-related topics.
- One
to One: The Cancer Connection, a volunteer support network
that brings together cancer survivors and their families with
others whose
lives are affected
by the disease.
- The
Back to School Program, sponsored with Children's Hospital, designed
to help children with cancer make the difficult transition
back to
school. The program uses peers, family, and Dana-Farber-trained
school personnel
to help deal with the concerns these children often experience.
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