About Team Tara

Our background

Our Jimmy Fund Walk team is a group of passionate and productive people of all ages and backgrounds. We share the common bond of seeking a cancer cure and we are all willing to work hard in that effort. While we appreciate all efforts that help cancer patients, we are specifically focused on funding cancer research. Every year we designate our funds raised for The Jimmy Fund to an underfunded area of cancer research. In 2015, 2016, 2022 and 2023 we funded lung cancer research. In 2017 and 2018 we funded pancreatic cancer research, and in 2019, 2020, 2021, and again in 2024, we will focus on metastatic colon cancer research. We will not stop until we find a cure!

about the jimmy fund walk

By participating in the 2024 Boston Marathon® Jimmy Fund Walk presented by Hyundai, our team is making every step count toward the ultimate finish line: a world without cancer!

This year, on October 6th, we will be gather back on the historic Boston Marathon course. We also have the option to walk in our communities. Either way, we will be together, wherever, against cancer. The Jimmy Fund Walk is a family-friendly event that includes great people and inspiration along the route. Your feet may be sore at the end but your heart will be full!

2024 Our Inspiration

AMY ENNIS

“Eight years ago, I had severe abdominal pain that landed me in the emergency room, where I was later diagnosed with stage III colon cancer. I had part of my colon removed and did 12 rounds of chemotherapy, but less than a year after that, the cancer spread to my lungs. Since then, I’ve had six lung surgeries, radiation, brain surgery, more radiation, and now I am back on chemo every other week. I’m sure everything I mentioned sounds horrendous to anyone reading it, but I’m so grateful for the care I’ve received.”

“I’ve had so many wonderful days, weeks, and years, thanks to my incredible care team, family, and friends. My husband and daughter keep me going every single day. We started participating in the Jimmy Fund Walk to give back and create a tradition. I’ve seen the money my team has raised directly put to good use at Dana-Farber through new procedures, policy changes, and more. That drives me to keep going every year.”

“I’d like to take this moment to encourage everyone to get a colonoscopy if you haven’t had one. The recommended age is now 45, but if there is any family history or symptoms, it should be done as soon as possible. The symptoms of colon cancer can be as simple as constipation, diarrhea, abdominal pain, fatigue, and weight gain or loss. Please listen to your body and get screened.”

– Amy Ennis
Team Captain of Bushy Strong

2024 Walk Hero

COMING SOON

Each year Team Tara honors a cancer warrior and hero who inspires and leads many in their ongoing efforts to fight cancer and support those battling it themselves.

Research at Dana-Farber

Kimmie Ng, MD, MPH

Dr. Kimmie Ng is Associate Chief of the Division of Gastrointestinal Oncology at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, and an Associate Professor of Medicine at Harvard Medical School in Boston, MA. She serves as Co-Director of the Colon and Rectal Cancer Center and the Director of Translational Research in the division. She is also the Founding Director of the Young-Onset Colorectal Cancer Center at Dana-Farber, one of the first of its kind in the country. Her research focuses on identifying dietary, plasma, and molecular predictors of improved survival in patients with colorectal cancer, with a special interest in the vitamin D pathway, the microbiome, and young-onset colorectal cancer. Her research has been funded by the National Cancer Institute, Cancer Research UK, U.S. Department of Defense, and other foundation and industry grants. She has been featured in multiple national media outlets, including the TODAY Show, MSNBC, ABC News, The New York Times, CNN, The Washington Post, and the Wall Street Journal, to raise awareness of young-onset colorectal cancer and the importance of cancer screening.

Team Tara Liaison

Jessica Abbott is the Director, Boston Marathon Jimmy Fund Walk and liaison to Team Tara. “I feel very fortunate to work day in and day out on the Jimmy Fund Walk,” Jessica says. “I am continually inspired by the walkers I work with and their unwavering dedication to cure cancer. Team Tara epitomizes this sentiment perfectly – the community and sense of hope the team has created is a force to be reckoned with. Team Tara continues to set the fundraising bar higher each year – inching us closer and closer to the ultimate finish line: a world without cancer.”

Learn More

Articles of interest by Dr. NG

Cancer keeps coming for the young. Why?
The Rise in Colorectal Rates Among Younger People
What is the Young-Onset Colorectal Cancer Center?

Videos with Dr. Kimmie Ng

join the team

Join our team on October 6, 2024 and walk to conquer cancer. You will love the people you meet along the way and the hope you feel with every step!

Tara’s blog

Tara is a 44-year-old mother of two, diagnosed with triple-positive breast cancer in August 2012. Before her diagnosis, she knew nothing about cancer. This blog is the story of Tara’s journey.

Amy’s 2023 Extra-Mile Award

Amy Killeen was honored with the 2023 “Extra Mile Award,” an award presented to someone who has “gone the extra mile” and embodies leadership, commitment to Dana-Farber’s core values, and the ability to motivate.

RESPONSE to covid-19

Read more about how our team responded to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Our partnerships

Team Tara cherishes the partnerships we have made over the years. Click here to learn more.

OUR INSPIRATION

HOPE AWARD RECIPIENTS