Fanwood Resident Travels to Boston for Cancer Walk to Honor Mother
Fanwood resident, Janet Klos, is walking the Boston Marathon® Jimmy Fund Walk presented by Hyundai in honor of mother who passed away from lung cancer in 1998. “It was so quick,” Janet writes. “She only lived for 10 weeks when we found out. I was so devastated.”
When her mother passed away, Janet knew she wanted to do something to help other people. “Because I’m not a nurse or doctor, I wanted to help in some way to find a cure for cancer,” Janet writes. After asking friends and family members about what she could do and googling different options, Janet found the solution she was looking for. “And there it was, the Boston Marathon Jimmy Fund Walk.”
Janet chose the Jimmy Fund Walk because her parents were both born in Massachusetts and all of their children were born there. Even though the family moved to New Jersey when Janet was just two years old, the family always made frequent trips back to visit family members. Originally, Janet’s goal was to walk the Boston Marathon Jimmy Fund Walk 10 times. But after her 10th walk, she realized that she wanted to continue. “Now, my goal is to walk 26 marathons,” Janet muses. “I want to say I walked 26.2 miles 26.2 times. It may sound corny, but it’s a good goal!”
Each year, after the walk, Janet and her father and sisters go to the cemetery and give the real HERO her medal.
The Boston Marathon Jimmy Fund Walk raises the most money of any single day walk in the country. Scheduled for Sunday, September 22, 2019, funds raised from the Walk will support all forms of adult and pediatric patient care and cancer research at the nation’s premier cancer center, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute. The Jimmy Fund Walk has raised more than $135 million in its 30-year history. Every dollar raised helps patients at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute.
To register for the Walk (#JimmyFundWalk), to support a walker, or to volunteer, visit www.JimmyFundWalk.org or call (866) 531-9255. Registrants can enter the promo code NEWS for $5 off the registration fee. Walkers can walk any of the four distance options, so there is a chance for everyone to participate!
