Hope Begins Here

Krysta’s mother passed away from Breast Cancer when she was two years old, and Krysta says she has an endless list of things she would give up to have known her Mom. Her aunt tells her that she’s a carbon copy of her mother, carrying her resilience, strength, sarcasm, and empathy.

Her “calling” for pediatric oncology medicine deepened when she met a 10-year-old boy with leukemia through the UMass Sidekicks program, which pairs medical students with pediatric patients with chronic illnesses. Kyle credits this young boy as the true inspiration, calling him her “hero.”

Nathaniel’s father was diagnosed with Esophageal Cancer, and passed away a year later when Nathaniel was 11 years old. Nathaniel quickly learned how life continued moving forward while he was falling considerably behind. Being out of school for three weeks, and having to move into temporary housing shortly thereafter, left this sixth grader struggling. However, 2 years later, Nathaniel was achieving straight A’s and high honors.

Jayden’s mother was diagnosed with breast cancer two years ago, and went through 18 months of extensive treatment of surgery, chemotherapy and radiation. He said that “cancer taught him to be grateful for those who love and support me, especially my mom, my biggest cheerleader.” His mother taught him that whatever life throws you, you need to stay positive and roll with the punches. And his mom, though not feeling well through treatment, attended every one of his hockey and lacrosse games.

“I was lucky enough to be able to attend this year’s 2024 ASTRO conference through a grant from Boston North Cancer Association. This year was particularly important that our radiation oncology team from Beth Israel Lahey Health attend this conference as we move forward with new technology and advanced practices within our radiation oncology departments. Thank you, Boston North Cancer Association, for this grant to allow me to learn about such studies and the positive outcomes these studies brought. I am so excited to bring all of this information back to my team and pass on all my findings.”

During her junior year, Giuliana’s mother was diagnosed with breast cancer—a life-changing event that reaffirmed her passion for medicine. At the time, she was already volunteering weekly at Beth Israel Lahey Outpatient Center, assisting nurses in the Post-Anesthesia Care Unit. This personal experience deepened her commitment to oncology, leading her to complete 60 hours as a Radiation Oncology Intern in Peabody. She now aspires to become a Radiation Oncologist.

Runway for Recovery provides families with a continuum of support along their journey with breast cancer. We create community by hosting events and providing services that create joy and inspire hope. With shared understanding we celebrate survivors, honor legacies, and fund families who have experienced loss.

Christopher was originally inspired to pursue a medical degree by his younger brother Timothy, who has downs syndrome and is also on the autism spectrum. Then, while in high school, his father was diagnosed with congestive heart failure and spent a lot of time in hospitals. Consequently, Christopher saw first-hand the positive impact physicians have on their patients. Despite the difficult circumstances at the time, he recognized this remarkable environment was the one for him.

When Erin’s dad was diagnosed with cancer, he asked her to stay positive. Sadly, he lost his battle to liver cancer after just seven months, when she was only thirteen years old. Every day Erin wishes, and knows her dad also wishes, that he could be standing next to her for all life’s important moments. But, she says,” Michael Robert Paul shaped my life in more ways than I can count; whether that’s not to be afraid even when I might be, staying positive, and looking for the good, even in the darkest situations.”