September 22, 2006

Raising sarcoma awareness
step-by-step

One normally wouldn't measure a person's life in steps, but that's what family and
friends of Jennifer Hunter Yates, an MGH patient who lost her life to sarcoma — a rare and devastating form of cancer that affects the connective tissue — believed would be most appropriate for a woman whose life has positively inspired hundreds of people to walk in support of cancer research.

Those who knew her hosted the second annual "12,402 Steps to Cure Sarcoma Walk," in honor of Yates, who died at age 33 years, or 12,402 days. The walk was held May 6 and raised $103,000 for the Jennifer Hunter Yates Sarcoma Foundation to benefit the sarcoma research of David Harmon, MD, of the MGH Hematology/Oncology Unit.

In addition, children from the 4th grade class taught by Bob Yates, Jennifer's husband, helped spread awareness about sarcoma as part of the class's government lessons. As a result of their efforts, the Commonwealth of Massachusetts declared April 30 through May 6, 2006 "Sarcoma Awareness Week."

From left, Fran Hornicek, MD; David Kirsch, MD; Penny Mills; Edie Yates;
Thomas Sommers; Christine Yates; Susan Erickson; Bob Yates; Ples Hunter; Barbara Hunter; David Harmon, MD; Jill Nelson and David Hunter