Running 4 Jake. Boston Marathon2018
Donation protected
Hi everyone,
I am very honored and excited to be running the 122nd Boston Marathon on April 16th. This race marks my 8th marathon and my 4th Boston. My goal for this marathon will be different though. I am running in honor of someone very special- Jake Silver. Along with many others, I have been following Jake's story via his mom's blog on FB titled 'Team Jake' since the diagnosis. I have known Melissa (AKA Missy) for over 35 years when we were placed in the same Kindergarten class. The strength she and her family have demonstrated over the past year and a half has been nothing short of awe-inspiring.
For those of you who may not be aware of his journey, on May 9th, 2016, 16-year-old Jake was told he had a tumor and a few days later he was diagnosed with Osteosarcoma, a very aggressive form of bone cancer which mainly affects teenaged boys. Osteosarcoma is rare and sneaky. After 6 surgeries and 9 months of chemo, they thought he had finally beat it. However, this past Christmas Jake went to the ER for breathing difficulties and the family received devastating news-Jake's cancer had returned. He has a larger tumor in his left lung causing it to fill with fluid and partially collapse, and a number of small tumors in his pleural space, as well as cancer cells floating around in the fluid of his lung. Jake has begun a very harsh chemotherapy regimen, which means he will be inpatient for 6 days with 2 weeks to recuperate, for a total of 6 cycles. Those two “off” weeks it is likely his counts will be so low that Jake will need blood and platelet transfusions. The chemo regimen has terrible side effects, which means Jake will not be in school and his senior year will be far from what was envisioned. At this point there is no cure for this cancer so they are searching and praying to find something that will stop its growth or at least slow it down.
Being a Registered Nurse myself, I understand what all this means, and how encompassing, overwhelming, frightening, and financially challenging it is. After speaking with Missy, obviously they are trying everything; diet, alternative therapies, trials, etc. to help Jake. Having a child with cancer is unfathomable, a diagnosis no family should have to endure. I know most of us want to help but don’t know how. What we can offer is financial support. Raising much needed funds mean they could enroll him in a trial that might not be in Massachusetts, buy whatever therapies insurance doesn’t cover, and most important- providing Missy the ability to be by Jake’s side through everything.
Our goal is to have as many people as we can donate $26. Think about this-if Team Jake followers, friends, friends of friends, co-workers, etc. donate the amount suggested we could easily raise over $30,000, and that would be AMAZING.
Thank you in advance for the support and generosity.
Let's do this for Jake!!!
Jen (Cooper) Joyce
I am very honored and excited to be running the 122nd Boston Marathon on April 16th. This race marks my 8th marathon and my 4th Boston. My goal for this marathon will be different though. I am running in honor of someone very special- Jake Silver. Along with many others, I have been following Jake's story via his mom's blog on FB titled 'Team Jake' since the diagnosis. I have known Melissa (AKA Missy) for over 35 years when we were placed in the same Kindergarten class. The strength she and her family have demonstrated over the past year and a half has been nothing short of awe-inspiring.
For those of you who may not be aware of his journey, on May 9th, 2016, 16-year-old Jake was told he had a tumor and a few days later he was diagnosed with Osteosarcoma, a very aggressive form of bone cancer which mainly affects teenaged boys. Osteosarcoma is rare and sneaky. After 6 surgeries and 9 months of chemo, they thought he had finally beat it. However, this past Christmas Jake went to the ER for breathing difficulties and the family received devastating news-Jake's cancer had returned. He has a larger tumor in his left lung causing it to fill with fluid and partially collapse, and a number of small tumors in his pleural space, as well as cancer cells floating around in the fluid of his lung. Jake has begun a very harsh chemotherapy regimen, which means he will be inpatient for 6 days with 2 weeks to recuperate, for a total of 6 cycles. Those two “off” weeks it is likely his counts will be so low that Jake will need blood and platelet transfusions. The chemo regimen has terrible side effects, which means Jake will not be in school and his senior year will be far from what was envisioned. At this point there is no cure for this cancer so they are searching and praying to find something that will stop its growth or at least slow it down.
Being a Registered Nurse myself, I understand what all this means, and how encompassing, overwhelming, frightening, and financially challenging it is. After speaking with Missy, obviously they are trying everything; diet, alternative therapies, trials, etc. to help Jake. Having a child with cancer is unfathomable, a diagnosis no family should have to endure. I know most of us want to help but don’t know how. What we can offer is financial support. Raising much needed funds mean they could enroll him in a trial that might not be in Massachusetts, buy whatever therapies insurance doesn’t cover, and most important- providing Missy the ability to be by Jake’s side through everything.
Our goal is to have as many people as we can donate $26. Think about this-if Team Jake followers, friends, friends of friends, co-workers, etc. donate the amount suggested we could easily raise over $30,000, and that would be AMAZING.
Thank you in advance for the support and generosity.
Let's do this for Jake!!!
Jen (Cooper) Joyce
Organizer and beneficiary
Jen Cooper-Joyce
Organizer
Natick, MA
Melissa Rothschild Duca
Beneficiary
