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Partnering for a Cure
By Teri Borseti / Daily News Correspondent
MILFORD - April 17, 2006 - Last year, just days before Mothers Day, Jonathan Hutchins wasnt feeling very well. He was kind of tired and his mother, Robin, suspected he might have mononucleosis. She took him to see his pediatrician and never expected to receive the news they did.
"I couldnt believe it when they said my son had leukemia. Ill never forget how it felt to hear that. We went from the doctors office right into Childrens Hospital, where he ended up staying for five weeks," Robin Hutchins said.
Its been a rough year for Jonathan, who has received chemotherapy and radiation at the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute in Boston.
Miles away, Martin Long, of Arlington decided last fall to run the Boston Marathon for the first time. Through the Dana-Farber Patient Partner Program, Long and Hutchins were united earlier this year and have been serving as each others inspiration ever since.
The program, which is the core of the Dana-Farber Marathon Challenge, pairs Jimmy Fund clinic patients with Boston Marathon runners. The partnership helps motivate the runners through training and distracts the kids from their illness. In many cases, the pair become lifelong friends.
The Stacy School seventh-grader seems to be taking things in stride.
"The chemo makes me tired sometimes but I feel better now than I used to. There are two kinds of leukemia, one can be treated, but the other is worse. I have the good kind and am now in remission," Jonathan said.
Long said he has children and cant imagine how frightening it is for kids and their families to learn they have leukemia. Long has been training for the 26-mile run since October, but after meeting Jonathan he got a second wind.
"I get up about 5:30 in the morning to run and its dark out, and I dont want to go, but then I think about Jonathan and all hes going through and that gets me up and out," Long said.
Training has him in the best shape of his life, Long said, and barring any injuries, he expects to go the distance, especially for such a good cause. The minimum donation amount runners must collect for Dana-Farber is $2,500, but Long said he expects to turn in $6,600.
"I have a friend who is currently being treated for pancreatic cancer and it can happen to anyone," he said.
Robin Hutchins said the whole family will be waiting for Long at the finish line Monday.
"Jonathan spent some time with Martin a couple of weeks ago at Dana-Farber, where they got together to make posters for the Marathon. The hospital has been so great about coming up with activities for the kids. They have parties and dinners and go to Red Sox games," Hutchins said.
Tomorrow, Hutchins and Long will join other runners and their partners for some carbo-loading at a pasta dinner to be held at Dana-Farber. Long said he hopes to be able to run for Jonathan every year.
All proceeds from Dana-Farber Marathon Challenge runners will go directly to the Claudia-Adams Barr Program in Inventive Basic Cancer Research at the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute in Boston. Since its inception in 1990, the challenge has raised nearly $26 million. This years goal is $3.85 million.
Hutchins will undergo treatment until June 7, 2007, and at that point he will have a 99 percent chance of remaining leukemia-free.
"At least this year Im feeling a little more back to normal and I get to play baseball again," he said.
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