Framingham Infant and 6-Year Old Girl Walk Heroes for Jimmy Fund Walk

A Framingham infant and girl were walk heroes for the 24th annual Boston Marathon® Jimmy Fund Walk, which took place Sunday, Sept. 9.

Selena Hernandez, six months and Adrianalie Samayoa, 6, were named heroes to inspire the estimated 9,000 walk participants, who walked the up to 26.2 miles along the historic route of the Boston Athletic Association’s Boston Marathon® to raise money for lifesaving adult and pediatric cancer research and patient care at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute through the Jimmy Fund.

The Boston Marathon Jimmy Fund Walk, a one-day fundraising event aimed to raise $7.5 million. Since its 1989 inception, the Walk has raised more than $80 million.

Hernandez was diagnosed with sarcoma in March of this year and is being treated at Dana-Farber’s Jimmy Fund Clinic.

Samayoa was diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukemia January of 2008 and is being treated at Dana-Farber’s Jimmy Fund Clinic.

In July, the Walk Heroes, their families, and the teams walking for them met for the first time at the Hero Match Party at Fenway Park. The event provides an opportunity for all involved to get to know each other, enjoy a meal together, and take in a Boston tradition, a Red Sox game at Fenway.

“Walk Heroes inspire and encourage participants to keep walking and enable them to have a personal connection with the miles they’re logging and dollars they’re raising,” said Ann Beach, director of the Boston Marathon Jimmy Fund Walk.