Charlie Breitrose
Kate Morris, 7, of Watertown has raised the second most dollars for the 2015 Jimmy Fund Walk.
A shy young girl from Watertown with a big smile has inspired people to give to the Jimmy Fund in a big way.
Seven-year old Kate Morris’ team for the Jimmy Fund Walk, known as Princess Kate’s Royal Court, is one of the top fundraisers for this year’s event, which provides money for adult and pediatric cancer care and research at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute.
As of Sept. 18, the team has raised $61,222, and Kate herself has brought in $32,350 with some help from her grandparents, said Kate’s mom, Evelyn Krache Morris. Kate has raised the second most of all walkers in this year’s Jimmy Fund Walk, and the team is ranked third in donations.
In 2014, walkers raised more than $8 million for the Jimmy Fund, bringing the 26 year fundraising total to more than $100 million, according to the Jimmy Fund. All walkers commit to raise a minimum of $300 in contributions, except for walkers 12-years-old and younger whose fundraising commitment is $100.
This is the second year for Kate’s team. They first did the walk, which follows the route of the Boston Marathon, in 2014 – the year Kate was diagnosed with acute lymphocytic leukemia (ALL).
“Before she was diagnosed, it was another walk, like the Walk for Hunger and the Heart Walk,” Evelyn said.
Charlie Breitrose
Kate Morris was diagnosed with cancer in January 2014 and hopes to finish treatment in early 2016. Here the 7-year old hugs her aunt Martha Krache’s arm as her mother, Evelyn Krache Morris, looks on.
After she was diagnosed, Kate’s father David and aunt Martha Krache decided to put together a team.
Kate was diagnosed at Boston Children’s Hospital, and received treatment at Dana-Farber. Today, Kate has gone through treatment, and the prognosis looks good.
“She’s due to come off treatment in February,” Evelyn said. “The doctor is happy with how it’s going. She has a fairly unusual form of ALL. If there are complications the come early in the treatment, and she got through that with flying colors.”
Kate and her mother will walk three miles during this year’s Jimmy Fund Walk, on Sunday, Sept. 27. Others on the team will walk significantly farther. Her aunt Martha will walk 13.1 miles, from Wellesley High School to the Marathon finish line. She said it is not as hard as it may sound.
“(Organizers of the Jimmy Fund Walk) give you a training schedule of when to start training – do three miles fast this day then rest. The longest you do is 12 miles,” Martha said. “During the actual walk, every two miles they give you candy, a drink, potato chips. They keep you entertained.”
There is still time to donate to Kate and Princess Kate’s Royal Court. For more information, click here.