Dana-Farber Leadership Council
Member Spotlight
Outreach Committee Co-Chair Heather Hagerty is a passionate supporter of Dana-Farber's mission.
Leadership Council members are doing exciting things both within and outside of the Council.
Outreach Committee Co-Chair Heathery Hagerty, just completed her tenth Boston Marathon® as part of the Dana-Farber Marathon Challenge team. Despite the cold, windy and wet weather, nothing could stop Heather from reaching her goal.
Over the past 10 years, Heather has raised more than $70,000 for Dana-Farber. During her first year, Heather was partnered with Brittany Lambert, a young girl from Duxbury, as part of the DFMC Partner Program, which matches runners with Jimmy Fund Clinic patients. Although Brittany passed away the following fall, Heather continued to run in memory of her each year and has since become a close friend of her family. Brittany's older sister, Brianne, was one of Heather’s bridesmaids at her wedding in 2003.
In 2005, Heather began running in memory of Mark Schlowsky-Fischer, the husband of a good friend from Wellesley College. Mark passed away in October 2004 after an 11-month battle with Burkett's lymphoma. In 2005, Heather also ran in honor of her mother-in-law, Mary Hagerty, who completed treatment for breast cancer.
For the past five years, Heather has partnered up with Amber DaRosa, the daughter of one of her husband's friends, who was diagnosed with leukemia at age four. Amber finished her treatment two years later and is now a healthy young lady who has finished the last mile of the Boston Marathon with her ever since. According to Heather, "Amber is living proof that every mile I run is worth support. Suffice to say, it’s been an amazing ride."
Heather has been an active member of the Dana-Farber Leadership Council since 2000 and has served as co-chair of the Outreach Committee since 2005. In this capacity, Heather oversees new member recruitment, Council-wide communication and works with the Outreach Committee to plan meetings and events that engage the Council membership.
The Leadership Council salutes Heather and her commitment to individuals battling cancer and to Dana-Farber.
For more information:
Contact: Rachel Pearson
Phone: (617) 582-8097
E-mail: rachel_pearson@dfci.harvard.edu
