The Pediatric Patient and Family Advisory Council
Meet the Members
Gary Jernegan
My youngest daughter, Kassie, was diagnosed with non-Hodgkin's lymphoma in 1997 when she was just two-and-a-half. After a successful two-year chemotherapy protocol at the Jimmy Fund Clinic, Kassie is now 11 years old, in the 6th grade, and loves to play soccer and basketball. She remains cancer free and goes for her check-ups at the Perini Quality of Life Clinic.
I joined the Pediatric Patient and Family Advisory Council in February 2001 and served as co-chair from 2003-05. As a patient representative, I contributed to the consensus statement "When Things Go Wrong: Responding to Adverse Events" developed by Dr. Lucian Leape of the Harvard School of Public Health. I have also spoken at the Kenneth B. Schwartz Center's "Power of Apology" series presented by Dr. Leape, and have presented at and attended the Institute for Family Centered Care conferences as a pediatric oncology parent. I have also spoken and written on behalf of the Jimmy Fund for capital campaigns.
Since 1997, my family has participated in the Jimmy Fund Walk and, just this past year, my oldest daughter, Kayla, joined us for the 26.2-mile route.
I lost my dad to cancer when I was 13, and I could have lost my daughter, too, had it not been for the Jimmy Fund Clinic. By volunteering at Dana-Farber and joining the Pediatric Patient and Family Advisory Council, I can honestly say that this has been one of the most personally rewarding experiences I have ever done in my life.
I am self-employed and live in Ipswich with my awesome wife, Tracye, and two girls, Kayla and Kassie.
