North Reading Resident Participates in Jimmy Fund Walk

North Reading resident and Northeastern University student Maryn Burns is participating in the Boston Marathon Jimmy Fund Walk this Sunday in Boston. 

When she first signed up for the walk, she planned to walk the entire time with her team. However, she recently had gallbladder surgery and was informed by her doctor that walking would not be an option.

"I’m not really supposed to be doing any exercise for another month or so," she said.

She is now a virtual walker and still raising money for the cause. She will still attend on Sunday, volunteer where she can and cheer her team on.

"I think it’s a great experience for anyone that wants to do it," she said. “There's no bad in it, you're raising money for cancer, so it will make you feel better if you do it.”

Her surgery was on June 28 of this year, coincidentally the same day she lost her mother to breast cancer in 2008. 

"She had breast cancer for four years and did all of her treatments at Dana Farber, so I was there a lot of the time,” she said.

Attending treatments with her mother was "where I started my love for Dana Farber because they were so awesome,” she said.

"I know that she wouldn’t have had the treatments that she got if it wasn’t for the Jimmy Fund and the amount of money that they raised," Burns said.

Not only is she supporting the Jimmy Fund by participating in their walk, but she also works for the Jimmy Fund Golf Program through a co-op at Northeastern.

"I would love to continue doing the Jimmy Fund or working with some aspect of it because I think it’s a great thing that people are doing here," she said.

As part of the golf program, Burns works with participants to help them plan their golf events, coordinates speakers and often attends different tournaments if they do not have an adequate amount of volunteers. 

“We give them all the tools necessary to hold a successful tournament,” she explained.

Support Burns in her fundraising efforts for the walk by donating online.