Framingham State Student Throws Out First Pitch At Fenway Park

Wednesday night, Framingham State University student Jillian Flaherty threw out the first pitch at Fenway Park to help raise money for those battling lung cancer.

Flaherty, a senior at Framingham State, lost her mother Brenda Villa, at age 52, to lung cancer in 2012.

By throwing out the first pitch prior to the Boston Red Sox/Toronto Blue Jays game, she was showing her support for a CVS Health and American Lung Association campaign, while encouraging fans to stand together against lung cancer.

This is the second year in a row, CVS Health has teamed up with the American Lung Association to help beat lung cancer with a national in-store fundraising campaign to support LUNG FORCE – an initiative that encourages people to stand together against lung cancer, the #1 cancer killer of women and men.

To kickoff the campaign – which encourages customers to donate $1 or $3 at CVS/pharmacy locations nationwide from May 3 through May 23 – Flaherty, who lives in Quincy, took the field Wednesday night at Fenway Park to throw out the first pitch and inspire fans to donate to LUNG FORCE.

Customers can contribute to LUNG FORCE at the register at CVS/pharmacy stores nationwide or online at cvs.com/lung, with all proceeds supporting lung cancer education and critical research that will lead to better treatment options and improved methods of early detection.

Flaherty, who has described her mother as “my best friend and my everything” – is an advocate against smoking and a “LUNG FORCE Hero.”

Nearly a year after her mother passed away, Flaherty’s aunt – her mother’s sister and a guidance counselor at Chariho High School in R.I. – asked if she would speak at a town meeting focused on banning smoking at the town’s public parks and beaches.

Initially terrified to speak in public, Flaherty soon discovered “the power of my voice – a voice of reason” and was heartened to learn that the story she shared about her mother impacted the audience.

That experience inspired her to film her story with the aim of sharing it with schools, health centers and community members, and to conduct research, which led her to the LUNG FORCE website.

Flaherty soon joined the LUNG FORCE campaign as part of her lifelong mission to advocate in the fight against lung cancer.

“We are so appreciative of Jillian for sharing such a personal story and are thrilled to support LUNG FORCE for the second consecutive year with our in-store fundraising campaign,” said Eileen Howard Boone, senior vice president of corporate social responsibility and philanthropy at CVS Health, who joined Flaherty on the pitcher’s mound.

“Education and awareness will help raise much-needed dollars for research to improve treatment options for so many people living with lung cancer. Advocates like Jillian are crucial in the fight to beat lung cancer, and their support will help save the lives of thousands of people,” said Boone in a press release.

The campaign aligns with CVS Health’s purpose of helping people on their path to better health and its commitment to help people lead tobacco-free lives. Last year, the pharmacy innovation company stopped selling tobacco products in its more than 7,800 retail stores, making CVS/pharmacy the first national retail pharmacy chain to take this step. As the national presenting sponsor of LUNG FORCE, CVS Health will help support LUNG FORCE’s mission to drive policy change and increase funding.

“Anyone can get lung cancer,” said Audrey Sylvia, national assistant vice president of the American Lung Association, in a press release. “The success of last year’s campaign made great impact on our mission to empower more people to join the fight to defeat lung cancer and change the perception of this terrible disease. To be able to partner with CVS Health again this year is a wonderful opportunity, and we can’t thank them enough for their continued support.”

Some of Flaherty’s family members – sister Erin Flaherty, stepsister Cassie Villa and stepfather Robert Villa – joined her at the game, also showing their support for LUNG FORCE.

Additionally, Sylvia was there to cheer for Flaherty, as well as Director of Corporate Partnerships for the American Lung Association of the Northeast Marianne Gibson.

According to the American Lung Association’s inaugural Women’s Lung Health Barometer, a survey of more than 1,000 American women that measures women’s knowledge and perceptions about lung cancer, awareness of lung cancer’s impact is extremely low.

Lung cancer is the #1 cancer killer of women, yet only one percent of women cite it as a cancer that is top-of-mind. The Barometer also revealed 78 percent of women are not aware that lung cancer has killed more women than breast cancer since 1987.

To learn more about the in-store fundraising campaign or to make a donation, visit cvs.com/lung.

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Photos courtesy of Constance Brown Photography

PHOTO 1: Framingham State University student Jillian Flaherty throws out the ceremonial first pitch prior to the April 29 Boston Red Sox/Toronto Blue Jays game. A senior at Framingham State, she lost her beloved mother to lung cancer and has committed to sharing her story as the “LUNG FORCE Hero” and advocating against smoking. Joining Jillian on the mound is Eileen Howard Boone, senior vice president of corporate social responsibility and philanthropy at CVS Health. Donations to the LUNG FORCE campaign can be made from May 3 through May 23 at CVS/pharmacy stores nationwide and online at www.cvs.com/lung.

PHOTO 2: After throwing out the ceremonial first pitch at Fenway Park before the April 29 Boston Red Sox/Toronto Blue Jays game, Eileen Howard Boone, senior vice president of corporate social responsibility and philanthropy at CVS Health and Framingham State University senior Jillian Flaherty get a hug from Boston Red Sox mascot Wally the Green Monster.

PHOTO 3: Pictured from left Robert Villa (stepfather to Jillian, the LUNG FORCE hero), a Quincy, Mass. resident who lost his wife to lung cancer; Cassie Villa (stepsister to Jillian), a Quincy, Mass. resident who lost her stepmother to lung cancer; Jillian Flaherty, a Quincy, Mass. resident and Framingham State University senior who lost her mother to lung cancer; Erin Flaherty (sister to Jillian), a Quincy, Mass. resident who lost her mother to lung cancer; Faith Weiner, CVS Health Senior Director of Community Relations; Eileen Howard Boone, CVS Health Senior Vice President of Corporate Social Responsibility and Philanthropy; Marianne Gibson, American Lung Association Northeast Director of Corporate Partnerships and Audrey Sylvia, American Lung Association Assistant Vice President