R.I. family raises $28,000 for Jimmy Fund Walk

The Andrade family of Richmond, R.I., once again are lacing up their sneakers for Sunday’s 35th Annual Boston Marathon Jimmy Fund Walk, joining thousands in the fight against cancer.

Julio Andrade walks in memory of his father, who died from bladder cancer in 2016. He’s raised $28,000 this year, largely through a silent auction he organized and donations collected from across his Rhode Island community.

Andrade plans to follow the 5k route, one of several options available for participants. The walk aims to raise $9 million for Dana-Farber Cancer Institute in Boston, according to the website.

The family has gotten creative with their fund-raising efforts throughout their eight years of participating in the walk.

Andrade’s teenage daughters, Gabby and Sydney, came up with the idea of selling cupcakes in 2020. Soon after, “Cupcakes for a Cause” was born.

“This allowed them the chance to do their part to help cure cancer and combine it with their love for baking,” Andrade said.

The sisters sell their sweet creations at events throughout the year—weddings, holidays, birthdays, and more. Last year, they partnered with a local pizza restaurant that sold their cupcakes every Friday and donated one dollar for each one sold, Andrade said.

The cupcake boxes are adorned with a label with information about the Jimmy Fund and Dana-Farber, Andrade said.

In 2021, the sisters baked and decorated over 1,000 cupcakes in their kitchen.

“The Dana-Farber Cancer Institute holds an extremely special place in our hearts,” Andrade said.

He described his father, Antonio, as a “hardworking, strong, loving individual who always put his family first.”

On Sunday, Andrade, his wife, Amanda, their four children, mother, and several close friends will walk in Boston representing “Team Triple A.” They even have family participating as virtual walkers in Pennsylvania.

“Losing my dad to cancer is the hardest thing my family and I have ever encountered,” Andrade said. “I continue to fundraise and participate in the Jimmy Fund Walk because I know it will make a difference.”