Doctors, patients, and special guests share stories of hope to support the Jimmy Fund and Dana-Farber Cancer Institute
BOSTON (Aug. 8, 2019) — WEEI Sports Radio Network (93.7 FM), New England Sports Network (NESN), and the Boston Red Sox are proud to announce the 18th annual WEEI/NESN Jimmy Fund Radio-Telethon presented by Arbella Insurance Foundation will take place at Fenway Park on Tuesday, Aug. 20, and Wednesday, Aug. 21, from 6 a.m. ET to midnight both days. The Radio-Telethon benefits the Jimmy Fund, which raises funds for adult and pediatric cancer care and research at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute.
This year’s 36-hour WEEI/NESN Jimmy Fund Radio-Telethon will feature emotional, moving stories from Dana-Farber patients, doctors, and nurses; and interviews with sports and entertainment celebrities, including Jimmy Fund Captain and Red Sox player Brock Holt, Red Sox player Mookie Betts, Chairman of the Jimmy Fund Larry Lucchino, New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady, Boston mayor Marty Walsh, Boston Celtics owner Wyc Grousbeck and head coach Brad Stevens, Red Sox manager Alex Cora and Boston Bruins head coach Bruce Cassidy.
During both nights at Fenway Park, the Red Sox will hold special on-field ceremonies featuring Dana-Farber patients before the games against the Philadelphia Phillies (7:10 p.m. start time). A group of Red Sox players’ wives will also be answering the phones on Tuesday, Aug. 20, from 6 p.m. to 7 p.m.
“We are honored to once again have the great responsibility of broadcasting the WEEI/NESN Jimmy Fund Radio-Telethon,” said Joe Zarbano, WEEI program director. “We are looking forward to hearing from the most inspiring and courageous patients, nurses and doctors this region has to offer and we’re grateful by the continued generosity and support we witness from the people of New England year-after-year.”
“It is again a privilege to work with the Jimmy Fund on this event. We are grateful to the patients, families, and caregivers who share their personal experiences throughout the telethon — experiences that offer support and encouragement to many across New England and around the country,” said Sean McGrail, NESN’s president and CEO. “We thank Red Sox Nation for their contributions over the years and hope to inspire more giving than ever in 2019.”
The WEEI/NESN Jimmy Fund Radio-Telethon celebrates the 66-year partnership between the Red Sox and the Jimmy Fund — the oldest and most successful relationship between a team and a charity in professional sports history.
New this year, the Red Sox Foundation, in partnership with Ascend Fundraising Solutions, is guaranteeing a $250,000 jackpot for the 50/50 raffle, taking place leading up to and during the event. A portion of proceeds will benefit the Jimmy Fund. Fans will have a chance to purchase raffle tickets online at RedSox.com/5050 from August 18 through August 21. Fans attending the Red Sox games on August 18, 20 and 21 will have the opportunity to purchase raffle tickets at Fenway Park. The raffle will close at the end of the 6th inning of the August 21 game, and a single winning number for the raffle will be posted online in the middle of the 7th inning of that game. Visit RedSoxFoundation.org for more details.
“The stories that Dana-Farber patients and staff share during this event each year are some of the most emotional and inspirational testimonials you will ever hear,” said Larry Lucchino, Chairman of the Jimmy Fund, Dana-Farber Trustee, President/CEO Emeritus of the Red Sox, and Principal Owner and Chairman of the Pawtucket Red Sox. “Please tune in to WEEI and NESN on August 20 and 21 and learn how your donation can help cancer research and treatment at Dana-Farber.”
“Each year, our Arbella team is proud to be a part of the Jimmy Fund Radio-Telethon, and this year we are even more proud and humbled to be recognized by Dana-Farber with the Boston Red Sox Jimmy Fund Award,” said John Donohue, Chairman, President and CEO of the Arbella Insurance Group and Chairman of the Arbella Insurance Foundation. “For more than a decade, Arbella has committed our support to the Jimmy Fund’s fight against cancer in children and adults at the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute. We are grateful to WEEI, NESN, and the Boston Red Sox for the support that they provide to the Jimmy Fund and Dana-Farber so that they can continue their efforts on cancer research in addition to providing excellent care to those who need it most.”
In 2018, the Radio-Telethon raised more than $4.4 million, bringing the 17-year total to more than $53 million. To help strike out cancer during the WEEI/NESN Jimmy Fund Radio-Telethon presented by Arbella Insurance Foundation, call 877-738-1234 toll-free. For more information or to make a gift online, go to www.JimmyFundRadioTelethon.org, or text KCANCER to 20222 to make a $25 gift.
About the Jimmy Fund
The Jimmy Fund (www.JimmyFund.org) solely supports Boston’s Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, raising funds for adult and pediatric cancer care and research to improve the chances of survival for cancer patients around the world. It is an official charity of the Boston Red Sox, as well as the official charity of the Massachusetts Chiefs of Police Association, the Pan-Mass Challenge, and the Variety Children’s Charity of New England. Since 1948, the generosity of millions of people has helped the Jimmy Fund save countless lives and reduce the burden of cancer for patients and families worldwide. Follow the Jimmy Fund on Facebook: www.facebook.com/thejimmyfund and on Twitter: @TheJimmyFund.
About WEEI & Entercom Communications Corp.
WEEI 93.7FM is an Entercom Communication Corp radio station, the flagship of the WEEI sports radio network, and the home of the Boston Red Sox. Entercom Communications Corp. (NYSE: ETM) is the fourth-largest radio broadcasting company in the U.S., reaching and engaging more than 40 million people a week through its portfolio of highly rated stations in top markets across the country. Entercom is a purpose-driven company, deeply committed to entertaining and informing its listeners with the best locally curated music, news, sports, and talk content, driven by compelling local personalities. Entercom delivers superior ROI by connecting its customers and audiences through its leading local brands and unparalleled local marketing solutions, which include over 4,000 events each year, and its SmartReach Digital product suite. Learn more about Philadelphia-based Entercom at www.Entercom.com, Facebook and Twitter (@Entercom).
About NESN
NESN has consistently been one of the top-rated regional sports networks in the country with award-winning Red Sox and Bruins coverage. The network is delivered to over 4 million homes throughout the six-state New England region and an additional 5 million homes nationally as NESN National. For six consecutive years, Forbes Magazine has ranked NESN as one of the 10 Most Valuable Sports Business Brands in the World. NESN.com is one of the country’s most visited sports websites with a state-of-the-art HD studio dedicated to digital video productions. NESN’s social responsibility program, NESN Connects, is proud to support and connect its employees with charitable organizations in our communities. NESN is owned by Fenway Sports Group (owners of the Boston Red Sox) and Delaware North (owners of the Boston Bruins).
About the Arbella Insurance Group and the Arbella Insurance Foundation
Established in 1988, the Arbella Insurance Group (www.arbella.com) is a company with more than $800M in revenue with approximately $1.5B in assets, headquartered in Quincy, Massachusetts. Arbella is a customer-focused regional property and casualty insurance company, providing personal and business insurance in Massachusetts and Connecticut, and business insurance in Rhode Island and New Hampshire. The Arbella Insurance Group founded the Arbella Insurance Foundation in 2004. Recognized as one of the Boston Business Journal’s “Top Charitable Contributors” for eleven consecutive years, the mission of Arbella’s Foundation is to engage in activities and to support not-for-profit organizations that have a significant positive impact on the people and communities served by Arbella.
