The 32nd annual Jimmy Fund Clinic Summer Festival took place on Sunday, giving cancer patients and their families the chance to experience Franklin Park Zoo in Boston as one community.
“When you’re battling cancer, you have different things happening,” said Lisa Scherber, the director of patient and family programs for the Jimmy Fund. “Maybe you’re in a wheelchair, you’ve lost your hair, maybe you’ve lost a limb. We just want our families to be safe and together.”
“It’s a cool experience, it takes my mind off a lot of stuff,” said Greg Nekrourian, who was diagnosed with cancer three months ago. today his entire life has changed. He took in the giraffes with other cancer patients.
“I’m 21 years old and I was told that I have T cell lymphoblastic lymphoma. And at that point, when I got diagnosed, I was relatively healthy,” said Nekrourian. “When I see younger kids, I say those are true warriors. It feels like you’re not alone. This can be a lonely journey.”
Organizers said 3,500 people took part in the amazing experience impacting more than 600 families. One of the purposes is to bring patients together who are going through cancer with those who have already overcome it.
“The nurses come, our physicians come, front desk staff come, we get to see the kids that are just thriving and kids that we saw in an infusion chair on Friday, they’re here today,” said Scherber. “To see kids that are five years out, 10 years out, 20 years out and you are standing at the giraffes with them and you can start talking. That’s what it’s all about.”
The festival is held to mark September as Pediatric Cancer Awareness Month.
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