"THEIR STORIES"
2017 Guest Speaker - Colleen Sullivan
Colleen Sullivan is from Walpole,MA and is currently a first grade teacher in Mansfield. In March of 2014, while having lunch with her colleagues, she got the call from her primary care physician. She was told that she had Invasive Ductal Carcinoma. Being a wife and mother to three young daughters (ages 10, 9, and 4) was what drove her to “choose life” and make some very difficult decisions. She immediately had a double mastectomy, and found that the cancer had begun to spread into her lymph nodes. Chemotherapy, radiation, and a BRCA-1 diagnosis along with a triple negative tumor made for quite a tumultuous year. With the love and support of her friends and family, along with the medical expertise of her physicians at Dana-Farber, Colleen is happy to say that she is in remission and living her life as Colleen again. #SullivanStrongER
2016 Guest Speaker - Ken Leandre
Ken's son Jordan, was only 2 years old when he was diagnosed with Ewing's Sarcoma. Jordan was born on July 31, 2000. Even though Ewing’s sarcoma, a rare bone disease, is more prevalent among adolescents and teenagers, Jordan was 2 years old when doctors diagnosed him with the cancer. Ewing’s sarcoma can spread quickly, becoming lung cancer, so doctors acted immediately. Due to all of the surgeries, Jordan was first in a brace, but then went into a full body cast from when he was 4 years old until he turned 7. His family, of course, was devastated. But Jordan’s warmth and perpetual happiness put the family of a cancer patient in an unlikely predicament. “Jordan was always so happy, so you couldn’t cry,” Ken said. “How could you cry when he wasn’t crying? “It wasn’t a curse. Jordan’s been able to help in so many ways. And he’s always done it with a smile. Even in excruciating pain, he reminded us he was OK. He reminded us he would be fine.” In 2004 at the age of 4 years old Jordan sang the national anthem at the Red Sox game and met Jason Varitek. Jordan currently attends Dennis-Yarmouth Regional High School, where he plays on the varsity baseball team.
2015 Guest Speaker - Emilyann Dearborn
Emily was first diagnosed in March of 2010 with Hodgkin's Lymphoma. After completing treatment, Emily traveled to India before diving into the college life. Unfortunately, in the Summer of 2011 Emily found out that her cancer had returned. She began treatment once again, and in January of 2012 she had a Stem Cell Transplant; this meant that Emily had to put her college plans on hold once again, but it also meant that she had to be isolated from family and friends due to the restrictions that her aggressive treatment plan called for. She attended Prescott College in the Fall of 2012 and majored in English and Adventure Education. Emily is a smart, strong, resilient, wonderful young woman! Despite all she has been through, she has not let her diagnosis deter her from her goals, both personally and from an education standpoint. She is hard working, intelligent, and values education. Emily talks a lot about enjoying the outdoors and hiking, along with poetry and reading.”
2014 Guest Speaker - Nick Fronduto
Nick Fronduto is a proud father of three children, whose life and those of his entire family, was turned upside down with his daughter Stephanie's cancer diagnosis in 2007. In an instant, normal took on an entirely new meaning and joy was found in places unthinkable just a few short days before. Despite the difficulty in doing so at times, his lesson learned is to appreciate the little things we take for granted in life, because in an instant, it can all be taken away from you. Despite what occurred, he realizes that he and his family are among the lucky ones.
Living in Tewskbury, Massachusetts and married to Chris, his wonderful wife of 23 years, Fronduto takes pleasure in hearing the college exploits of Stephanie and his son, Patrick. He also enjoys coaching his son Matthew's Little League baseball team.
Stephanie Fronduto was a couple weeks short of her fourteenth birthday in January 2007, when she was diagnosed with Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia. A driven student, Steph was determined to not let this diagnosis alter the path that she had set for herself. Despite undergoing an intense chemotherapy regimen, Stephanie continued to achieve honors level grades in all her classes as she finished up the eighth grade and into high school. Graduating in the top 10 percent of her class at Central Catholic High School, Steph was accepted on an Early Action basis at the Lynch School of Education in Boston.
Now a junior at B.C., Steph works with pre school children in the Brookline school system and also volunteers two days per week at Children's Hospital in Boston, while at the same time maintaining a 3.65 GPA. Steph's career ambition is to be a Child Life Specialist. In this position she would work with children, and siblings of those children, who have life threatening illnesses.
2013 Guest Speakers - Larry and Judith Theriault
Courage, determination and compassion are words that come to mind when thinking about twins Larry and Judith Theriault of Peabody. Now 21 years old, Larry and Judith are living with brain tumors. First manifesting optic nerve tumors at age 2 and 3 respectively, Larry and Judith consistently make the most of life despite the challenges that each child faces on a daily basis.
Larry and Judith are kids who despite significant obstacles focus more on what they can do as opposed to what they can’t do.
They thrive despite the uncertainties they face and the challenges life brings. Treated by Dr. Mark Kiernan
2012 Guest Speaker - Paul Lincoln
Paul was diagnosed in October, 1999 when he was in 8th grade with a craniopharyngioma, a brain tumor around his pituitary gland and hypothalamus. The brain surgery was performed at Boston Children’s Hospital where Paul spent one month as an inpatient.
Paul’s hospital stay was immediately followed up with 6 weeks of radiation therapy treatments at Brigham and Women’s and the
Dana Farber Cancer Institute, as well as follow-up, ongoing care, and appointments at The Jimmy Fund. The Jimmy Fund has been a part of his life for 13 years now and he is deeply committed to helping to be a part of finding a cure for and ending cancer!
Hopefully in his lifetime.
Paul graduated from Shrewsbury High School in 2004 and Saint Anselm College in 2008 cum laude, majoring in Business.
In 2009, Paul, along with close friends and his family celebrated his 10th anniversary of recovery with the Jimmy Fund.
Paul graduated from Assumption College in 2012 with a Master in Business Administration (MBA) with a focus in Accounting
and completed Associate in General Insurance (AINS) designation in 2012.
Paul is now 27 years old and is an avid golfer and fisherman, and a dedicated volunteer of the Jimmy Fund Golf Program.
He also has recently joined the Big Brothers Big Sisters lunch volunteers program in Worcester, MA.
Paul is currently employed full-time at The Hanover Insurance Group in Worcester, MA as an internal auditor in financial operations.
2011 Guest Speaker - Tori Rando
Tori Rando is a 23 year old cancer survivor. In 2005, at the age of 15, Tori was diagnosed with Ana plastic large cell lymphoma. She faced over a year of treatment and a year of chemo and missed two years of school as a result. She kept up with her studies through home tutoring and always remained on the Honor Roll.
Tori has been cancer free for 7 years!
Tori attended Bristol CC and is a huge fan of the Red Sox, Celtics, Patriots, and Bruins! Tori received the Guardian Angel Scholarship at the Mutual Funds Against Cancer Expect Miracles Golf Classic. Tori's Mom is Toni and her Dad is Dave. She also has two sisters - Brittney and Ashley; and one brother, David.
Tori has worked as a nanny for the past few years for a leukemia patient and for two little boys. She currently works at Wayne J. Griffin Electric Company in Holliston as a Receptionist.
Colleen Sullivan is from Walpole,MA and is currently a first grade teacher in Mansfield. In March of 2014, while having lunch with her colleagues, she got the call from her primary care physician. She was told that she had Invasive Ductal Carcinoma. Being a wife and mother to three young daughters (ages 10, 9, and 4) was what drove her to “choose life” and make some very difficult decisions. She immediately had a double mastectomy, and found that the cancer had begun to spread into her lymph nodes. Chemotherapy, radiation, and a BRCA-1 diagnosis along with a triple negative tumor made for quite a tumultuous year. With the love and support of her friends and family, along with the medical expertise of her physicians at Dana-Farber, Colleen is happy to say that she is in remission and living her life as Colleen again. #SullivanStrongER
2016 Guest Speaker - Ken Leandre
Ken's son Jordan, was only 2 years old when he was diagnosed with Ewing's Sarcoma. Jordan was born on July 31, 2000. Even though Ewing’s sarcoma, a rare bone disease, is more prevalent among adolescents and teenagers, Jordan was 2 years old when doctors diagnosed him with the cancer. Ewing’s sarcoma can spread quickly, becoming lung cancer, so doctors acted immediately. Due to all of the surgeries, Jordan was first in a brace, but then went into a full body cast from when he was 4 years old until he turned 7. His family, of course, was devastated. But Jordan’s warmth and perpetual happiness put the family of a cancer patient in an unlikely predicament. “Jordan was always so happy, so you couldn’t cry,” Ken said. “How could you cry when he wasn’t crying? “It wasn’t a curse. Jordan’s been able to help in so many ways. And he’s always done it with a smile. Even in excruciating pain, he reminded us he was OK. He reminded us he would be fine.” In 2004 at the age of 4 years old Jordan sang the national anthem at the Red Sox game and met Jason Varitek. Jordan currently attends Dennis-Yarmouth Regional High School, where he plays on the varsity baseball team.
2015 Guest Speaker - Emilyann Dearborn
Emily was first diagnosed in March of 2010 with Hodgkin's Lymphoma. After completing treatment, Emily traveled to India before diving into the college life. Unfortunately, in the Summer of 2011 Emily found out that her cancer had returned. She began treatment once again, and in January of 2012 she had a Stem Cell Transplant; this meant that Emily had to put her college plans on hold once again, but it also meant that she had to be isolated from family and friends due to the restrictions that her aggressive treatment plan called for. She attended Prescott College in the Fall of 2012 and majored in English and Adventure Education. Emily is a smart, strong, resilient, wonderful young woman! Despite all she has been through, she has not let her diagnosis deter her from her goals, both personally and from an education standpoint. She is hard working, intelligent, and values education. Emily talks a lot about enjoying the outdoors and hiking, along with poetry and reading.”
2014 Guest Speaker - Nick Fronduto
Nick Fronduto is a proud father of three children, whose life and those of his entire family, was turned upside down with his daughter Stephanie's cancer diagnosis in 2007. In an instant, normal took on an entirely new meaning and joy was found in places unthinkable just a few short days before. Despite the difficulty in doing so at times, his lesson learned is to appreciate the little things we take for granted in life, because in an instant, it can all be taken away from you. Despite what occurred, he realizes that he and his family are among the lucky ones.
Living in Tewskbury, Massachusetts and married to Chris, his wonderful wife of 23 years, Fronduto takes pleasure in hearing the college exploits of Stephanie and his son, Patrick. He also enjoys coaching his son Matthew's Little League baseball team.
Stephanie Fronduto was a couple weeks short of her fourteenth birthday in January 2007, when she was diagnosed with Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia. A driven student, Steph was determined to not let this diagnosis alter the path that she had set for herself. Despite undergoing an intense chemotherapy regimen, Stephanie continued to achieve honors level grades in all her classes as she finished up the eighth grade and into high school. Graduating in the top 10 percent of her class at Central Catholic High School, Steph was accepted on an Early Action basis at the Lynch School of Education in Boston.
Now a junior at B.C., Steph works with pre school children in the Brookline school system and also volunteers two days per week at Children's Hospital in Boston, while at the same time maintaining a 3.65 GPA. Steph's career ambition is to be a Child Life Specialist. In this position she would work with children, and siblings of those children, who have life threatening illnesses.
2013 Guest Speakers - Larry and Judith Theriault
Courage, determination and compassion are words that come to mind when thinking about twins Larry and Judith Theriault of Peabody. Now 21 years old, Larry and Judith are living with brain tumors. First manifesting optic nerve tumors at age 2 and 3 respectively, Larry and Judith consistently make the most of life despite the challenges that each child faces on a daily basis.
Larry and Judith are kids who despite significant obstacles focus more on what they can do as opposed to what they can’t do.
They thrive despite the uncertainties they face and the challenges life brings. Treated by Dr. Mark Kiernan
2012 Guest Speaker - Paul Lincoln
Paul was diagnosed in October, 1999 when he was in 8th grade with a craniopharyngioma, a brain tumor around his pituitary gland and hypothalamus. The brain surgery was performed at Boston Children’s Hospital where Paul spent one month as an inpatient.
Paul’s hospital stay was immediately followed up with 6 weeks of radiation therapy treatments at Brigham and Women’s and the
Dana Farber Cancer Institute, as well as follow-up, ongoing care, and appointments at The Jimmy Fund. The Jimmy Fund has been a part of his life for 13 years now and he is deeply committed to helping to be a part of finding a cure for and ending cancer!
Hopefully in his lifetime.
Paul graduated from Shrewsbury High School in 2004 and Saint Anselm College in 2008 cum laude, majoring in Business.
In 2009, Paul, along with close friends and his family celebrated his 10th anniversary of recovery with the Jimmy Fund.
Paul graduated from Assumption College in 2012 with a Master in Business Administration (MBA) with a focus in Accounting
and completed Associate in General Insurance (AINS) designation in 2012.
Paul is now 27 years old and is an avid golfer and fisherman, and a dedicated volunteer of the Jimmy Fund Golf Program.
He also has recently joined the Big Brothers Big Sisters lunch volunteers program in Worcester, MA.
Paul is currently employed full-time at The Hanover Insurance Group in Worcester, MA as an internal auditor in financial operations.
2011 Guest Speaker - Tori Rando
Tori Rando is a 23 year old cancer survivor. In 2005, at the age of 15, Tori was diagnosed with Ana plastic large cell lymphoma. She faced over a year of treatment and a year of chemo and missed two years of school as a result. She kept up with her studies through home tutoring and always remained on the Honor Roll.
Tori has been cancer free for 7 years!
Tori attended Bristol CC and is a huge fan of the Red Sox, Celtics, Patriots, and Bruins! Tori received the Guardian Angel Scholarship at the Mutual Funds Against Cancer Expect Miracles Golf Classic. Tori's Mom is Toni and her Dad is Dave. She also has two sisters - Brittney and Ashley; and one brother, David.
Tori has worked as a nanny for the past few years for a leukemia patient and for two little boys. She currently works at Wayne J. Griffin Electric Company in Holliston as a Receptionist.