Wellesley readies for annual Boston Marathon Jimmy Fund Walk

More than 30 Wellesley residents are among the thousands of people who have signed up to participate in the annual Boston Marathon Jimmy Fund Walk that traverses Wellesley along the marathon course on its way into Boston on Sunday, Oct. 6. The 35-year-old event has raised more than $176 million for the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute.

Among those from Wellesley taking part is Jeanne Cerulle, who has been working for Dana-Farber for two years as a Health Education Communication Specialist. “I write and publish patient-facing education materials. This year, I am the captain of my walk team, ‘Patient Care for a Cure,’ which includes many nurses, nurse leaders, staff, family, and friends.,” she says.

You can support Cerulle’s walk at her fundraising page.

Cerulle cheered on the same team last year, but this is her time walking. “Before joining Dana-Farber, I had always heard about the groundbreaking research and the amazing care from friends treated here. Now, I see firsthand the quality of care and patient-focused work that is so inspiring and makes me proud and honored to work here,” she says.

Another Wellesley participant is Joan Hanania, a psychologist at Dana-Farber/Boston Children’s and Blood Disorders Center and an instructor at Harvard Medical School. This is her second Jimmy Fund Walk and she’s walking with the Pediatric Cancer Genetic Risk Program.

“This interdisciplinary program is one of a few in the United States dedicated to providing secondary prevention for children who are known to be at an increased risk for developing cancers, either due to their personal history, family history or known personal genetic predisposition,” Hanania says. “This is a truly impactful program that operates within the ‘knowledge is power’ framework to focus on early detection, informed patient-centered engagement, and improved outcomes.”

You can support Hanania’s walk at her fundraising page.

Hanania also has a small private psychology practice in Wellesley offering assessment and psychotherapy for children and young adults.