CANTON, MASS. (WHDH) - While the route was different, walkers still came out by the hundreds to fight cancer with the Jimmy Fund Sunday.
Participants usually take over the Boston Marathon course and wave at patients in Dana Farber along the way, but because of the coronavirus participants held virtual walks in their own communities.
“I think this year is really special because we’ve been able to come together as a community and make the walk our own,” said Amy Killeen of Team Tara.
In Canton, team leaders recreated the memorial wall that allows walkers to hang a ribbon for a donation. Each strand represents someone who has died or is fighting cancer.
“It’s heartbreaking, but it also gives us hope that the money we’re raising is going somewhere so we have less ribbons,” said Amy Ennis of the Bushy Strong team. “When you want to help, you find a way.”
Ennis said she was worried that the need for cancer research and treatments will be even greater in the future because people are putting off visits to the doctor because of the coronavirus. She said people still need to get checked for diseases like colon cancer, which she was diagnosed with.
“Go get checked, I was 38 years old when i was diagnosed,” Ennis said. “Do what you have to do to get a check.”
Participants in the walk are taking donations through the end of the month.
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