Brady's Fight

In early April of 2018, just weeks before finishing classes in his fifth year in the Doctor of Pharmacy program at the University of Rhode Island, Brady found himself with a great deal of pain residing in his chest. On the night of April 3rd, the chest pains were so severe that he could not sleep. When he got up in the morning, he started coughing up blood.  In the bat of an eye, after a visit at the campus doctor, he was sent by ambulance to Rhode Island Hospital. He was diagnosed with Hodgkin's Lymphoma, a form of cancer of the Lymphatic system.

After spending a week in Rhode Island Hospital and withstanding countless tests and assessments, Brady was finally allowed to go back home and begin his fight. The following months required constant travel to and from the Dana Farber Cancer Institute in Boston to undergo extensive chemotherapy treatments. On top of Brady’s appointments and chemotherapy sessions, he continued to work 40 hour weeks at his unpaid pharmacy rotations, a necessary step for him to obtain his Doctor of Pharmacy degree.

Throughout the next six months, Brady continued his battle, and as the side effects of the chemotherapy began to show, he didn’t show any signs of slowing down. He pursued outside interests; golfing as often as he could, spending time with friends and family, and even participating in a Lymphoma fundraiser in Rhode Island, he continued to exceed the expectations of everyone around him.

Just weeks ago, Brady reached the finish line as he completed his final chemotherapy treatment. His family and friends are all eagerly awaiting the first weekend of November when he will receive his final PET scan results, which will ultimately determine whether or not he will need more treatment.

Brady, alongside his parents (Joe and Sue) and sister (Shannon), are all deeply ingrained in the Exeter community. Brady was a four-year member of the honors society at Exeter High School, finishing near the top of his class of over 450 students, all while balancing his life as a three-sport athlete. Brady played an integral role on the Exeter football, diving, and baseball teams, which led to three state championship titles during his senior year alone. To add to his resume, Brady has also been involved in community outreach projects, such as the Mustard Seeds Communities program at URI. This brought him and his peers to Jamaica to train caregivers on proper medication practices and on how to care for those living with physical and mental disabilities, as well as those with HIV/AIDS. His determination to improve the quality of life for others has never wavered.

Regardless of the outcome of the long-awaited PET scan, those of us that are close to Brady want to do something to help support him and his family through this difficult time.  We are hoping that we can do something as a community to come together to show our support and gratitude for this well deserving family. We have created a GoFundMe page to help him with the expenses of six months of cancer treatments.  Brady has expressed an interest in donating money towards cancer research. He is very interested in participating in the Pan Mass Challenge provided he is well enough at that time. As the Quinn’s ready themselves for what will hopefully be their last visit to the Dana Farber Cancer Institute, this GoFundMe page was created as a way to show our appreciation for everything that they have accomplished in the Exeter area and beyond. If you or anyone you know has felt the impact that this family has left on the community, please consider donating to this cause.

#BradyStrong