Tread Strong: Support BIDMC’s 2020 Boston Marathon Team

When Joe Perri received confirmation that the lump in his neck was thyroid cancer, he thought about his wife, Stephanie, and two-year-old son, Leo.

“My mind went to worst-case scenarios, but before I could even wrap my head around the situation, my doctors were jumping into action,” he recalls. “Everyone was incredibly calm and optimistic. They put me at ease immediately.”

Under the care of Ben James, MD, Section Chief of Endocrine Surgery, Joe underwent thyroid surgery and follow-up treatment over the next few months. “We took it one appointment at a time, each milestone at a time,” Joe says. “Dr. James is the model of what you hope a doctor would be—personable, professional, and incredibly sharp—and while his team would never say this about themselves, they are absolutely world-class as well.”

His experience at BIDMC is something Joe says he won’t soon forget. “Beyond being experts in their field, my team was kind and truly listened to me,” he says. “I would recommend BIDMC to anyone facing health issues.”

When Joe heard about BIDMC’s Boston Marathon team, he thought this would be the perfect way to give back. “The debt that my family and I owe this team cannot be quantified,” he says.

He doesn’t consider himself an avid runner, but he has run the Philadelphia Marathon twice. “The course in Philly is much flatter than Boston. This is a new challenge, and it will be my first marathon since completing treatment,” he says.

Joe is raising funds to support the Cancer Center at BIDMC. “I did a lot of reading when I was first diagnosed and learned that the treatment plan my team put together is one that’s been continually refined and proven effective. Cancer research literally saves lives and I’m honored to play a small part in supporting that,” he says.

Read more about Joe and support Team BIDMC.