MC Assembly to Participate in 2017 Boston Marathon® Jimmy Fund Walk
MC Assembly staff at the electronics manufacturer’s Boston location are participating in this year’s Boston Marathon® Jimmy Fund Walk presented by Hyundai on Sunday, September 24. The annual event raises valuable funds for cancer patient care and research at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute.
Thom Hansen, Vice President of Operations at MC Assembly’s Boston facility, is Team MC Assembly’s organizer. An experienced runner himself, Hansen said the walk is a great way to stay healthy while making a positive contribution to the community.
“When I was younger, I stayed motivated with my running by doing road races,” Hansen said. “However, I just didn’t want to sign up for races that weren’t tied to a good cause. I walked the Boston Marathon Jimmy Fund Walk several times to help raise money for a cure for cancer.”
Since starting in 1989, the Jimmy Fund Walk has raised more than $120 million for cancer care and research. Being a cancer survivor himself, Hansen said this cause is personally important to him, and knows many members of the MC Assembly staff feel the same way.
“If you think about it, you probably can’t talk to a person who has a friend or family member who hasn’t been impacted by cancer,” Hansen said. “It’s a terrible disease that I have personally seen impact so many lives. I lost my dad to cancer, my mom is a cancer survivor, and I’m a cancer survivor. I have lost friends, friends of friends, and co-workers to cancer. It’s the one thing that has always scared me. I want to do everything possible to help Dana-Farber, whether it’s by raising money to find a cure or supporting the many patients and families who help with this Jimmy Fund event.”
Nine members of the Boston staff have signed up to participate in the Jimmy Fund Walk. The team members, who represent every department at the facility, are: Chris Lupien, Thom Hansen, Chris Joyner, Kristin Casale, John Sloan, Jerry Campagna, Ben Favaloro, Jimmy Kong, and Don Garlick.
“I joined the Jimmy Fund Walk to help raise money and awareness for the great things that Dana-Farber does for folks with cancer,” said John Sloan, SMT Process Engineer for MC Assembly Boston. “It is hospitals with doctors, nurses, and staff like Dana-Farber that make a world of difference to folks living with cancer and their families and friends. I lost my dad to cancer. I’ve lost friends, parents of friends, aunts, and uncles all to this terrible disease. I too, am a cancer survivor. I walk with hope that someday hospitals like Dana-Farber will find a cure.”
Kristin Casale, Program Buyer for MC Assembly Boston, is also a strong supporter of the Jimmy Fund.
“I am just so amazed at what the Jimmy Fund organization does for this cause and I am honored to be a part of it,” she said. “I am walking in honor of my amazing mother who is a two-time breast cancer survivor. She continues to inspire me every day. I walk in hopes that someday, with everyone’s help, we can find a cure.”
Hansen said the response from his co-workers has been very special.
“We have had an awesome response from the team,” he said. “We have folks from the production floor, personnel from program management, and representatives from engineering, purchasing, and operations. Everyone has their own reason for walking. Some have lost friends or family; some are walking for survivors. All of us are walking so that hopefully one day there is a cure for all cancers.”
Team MC Assembly has set a goal of raising a minimum of $5,000, but they would like to exceed that target and believe that every little bit will help. To help them reach their goal, supporters can donate on the team’s webpage: www.jimmyfundwalk.org/2017/mcassembly.