Editor Helps Fight Cancer

As passionate as Sports Editor Kaitlin McKinley is about sports, she is also dedicated to fighting cancer and advocating for cancer victims in any way that she can. Her relentless efforts to help those inflicted with this horrible disease has led her to not only be an active participant in BC’s annual Relay for Life, it is also why she has chosen to intern at the Dana Farber Cancer Institute.

Kait has this to say about her work:

“I wanted my summer internship to integrate my two passions: sports and childhood cancer. As the editorial and creative services intern in the Dana Farber Cancer Institute (DFCI) communication department, I found the perfect fit for me. The Jimmy Fund Clinic of DFCI, deals strictly with pediatric patients. My little sister has received treatment there for 10 years, and I am eternally grateful to their dedication to cancer research. When I was given the opportunity to work for this organization, I was elated that I could in some way contribute.

“My main job is to be a writer for one of DFCI’s publications, called ‘Inside the Institute.’ It is published every two weeks like The Observer. It is distributed in all DFCI buildings, as well as all satellite campuses in Massachusetts and New Hampshire. I attend news meetings, generate ideas, interview doctors, patients, staff, families, and partners of DFCI. I write several articles for each issue and assist in editing. The articles are about groundbreaking research in cancer, fundraising events, patients’ stories, profiles of doctors, nurses, researchers, and other integral employees, and other cancer related issues.

“The Jimmy Fund is the official charity of the Red Sox and as an intern, I’ll be able to work on events such as the WEEI/NESN Jimmy Fund Radio-telethon, a two day event at Fenway Park, and Fenway Fantasy Day, where people can support the Jimmy Fund by paying to play at Fenway.

“I’m excited to learn more this summer about editing and writing, skills which will be valuable in my last year as sports editor of The Observer. Part of the interview for my internship involved sending them several pieces of writing from The Observer and they were impressed with the writing. The Observer is a wonderful paper and has been a great experience for me these past two years. I’m excited to be writing for another great publication now, and I look forward to returning to The Observer in the fall when football season kicks off with the return of Mark Herzlich who is a cancer survivor.

“I also will be participating in the Jimmy Fund Walk in September, which is a 26.2 mile walk along the Boston marathon route. My team is in honor of my sister, Maddy, and in memory of my cousin, Drew. I started fundraising last month. You can visit my personal page here. I want to raise as much money as possible for DFCI in their search for a cure to all cancers.

“Although unaffiliated with Dana Farber, I participate in Relay for Life every year. The team is again in honor of my sister, Maddy, and in memory of my cousin, Drew. We consistently raise a lot of money for cancer research and have received the top team award before. Each walk is a rewarding experience because every little bit of money helps move one step closer to finding a cure.”

Kait is yet another Observer editor who successfully put the skills she learned from the publication to good use for a good cause this summer. Her dedication to bettering the lives of others is a testament to the compassion of Observer editors, a trait that many of our editors show through their passions.

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