Ryan McGuire of Foxborough, Mass., will hit the links June 17 to play the 100 holes in memory of Danny Nickerson, 5, who died April 24 after an 18-month battle with a rare form of pediatric brain cancer called diffuse intrinsic pontine glioma, or DIPG, the same disease that took the life of college basketball player Lauren Hill.
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“I get to skip school and play as many holes of golf as I can to raise money in memory of my friend, Danny,” Ryan says on the website for the nonprofit Golf Fights Cancer. “Some people I know have had cancer and are OK now. I want to help Danny’s doctor so kids with DIPG have more hope to beat their cancer, too."
Ryan’s day of golf at MGA Links in Norton, Mass., is in conjunction with the GFC Golf Marathon, Golf Fights Cancer’s one-day fundraiser. He’s the youngest golfer ever to undertake the challenge.
As of Thursday night, donations had surpassed $9,200 — well beyond Ryan’s initial goal of $2,500. His new goal is $15,000. The money will go to the pediatric cancer research of Danny’s doctor, Dr. Mark Kieran, at the Dana Farber Cancer Institute.
Ryan’s effort will be a family affair. His caddy will be his grandfather, Vin “Bear” McGuire, himself a cancer survivor. And Ryan’s mother, Cheryl, is program director for Golf Fights Cancer.
“While it’s atypical to talk about cancer with kids this young, given the nature of my work, cancer is not a taboo subject,” Cheryl McGuire said, according to GolfFightsCancer.org. “Ryan taking part in this event allows him to talk about it in a positive light.”
Ryan will have lots of encouragement as he attempts his golf marathon, according to Golf Fights Cancer: His entire kindergarten class will be there to cheer him on.
