Norwood Cancer Survivors Tell Their Stories in WEEI-NESN Jimmy Fund Radio-Telethon

Two Norwood residents will be telling their stories on the 11th annual WEEI-NESN Jimmy Fund Radio-Telethon today and tomorrow, Aug. 21 and 22.

Scott Davenport, 25, and Fernando Morales, 18, will tell their stories live on air in hopes of raising money to support others in their own cancer battles.

Davenport was diagnosed with testicular cancer at age 20 in December 2007. Doctors at Dana-Farber detected it was an aggressive cancer and he underwent surgery immediately, followed by aggressive chemotherapy. After regular chemo treatments, he was cleared of the disease in spring of 2008. In July 2009, during a regular check up scan, doctors found the cancer had returned. Davenport underwent surgery again and was cleared a second time soon after.  

"I was a little scared at first but I honestly don't regret any of it," he said. "It was one of the toughest things I ever went through but it's a part of my life. I'm blessed."  

His father was diagnosed with the same disease - testicular cancer - when Davenport was in high school. He says watching his father's courage in how he fought and won his battle years ago inspired him and prepared him to fight his own cancer. When he himself was diagnosed, "he was there for me everything- dragging me kicking and screaming to chemo," Davenport said of his dad.

After noticing hip and knee pain for four months, Fernando Morales was diagnosed with Ewing's Sarcoma in March 2011 after an x-ray and MRI showed a tumor in his right hip. At Dana-Farber, Morales underwent pelvis radiation last summer, chemotherapy from April 2011 until January, and lung radiation in February.  

Today, he is in remission and has follow-up appointments every three months. He is back to playing soccer, running track, drawing and painting, hanging out with friends, and playing video games.

Over the span of 36-hours and two Boston Red Sox games, the telethon broadcast features stories from Dana-Farber patients, doctors, researchers and nurses, celebrity guests and athletes. There are also special ceremonies prior to both Red Sox games during the two-day period.

Editor's note: Information from a press release from Dana-Farber Cancer Institute.