Cancer survivor Jacob Miller of Merrimack will lead his team, Miller's Crew, during this year's Jimmy Fund Walk on Oct. 5. Courtesy photo

MERRIMACK — Jacob Miller of Merrimack and a team of 26 other residents, known as Miller’s Crew, will represent the town in the 37th annual Jimmy Fund Walk on Oct. 5.

“Every step you take gives patients like me more strength, more hope and more time,” said Miller, who will be participating as a Jimmy Fund Walk Hero. “The walk means the world to us, it’s not just a fundraiser, it’s a lifeline.”

During his junior year at Merrimack High School, Miller, a student-athlete, noticed he was feeling more tired than usual after his games. At the time, he was playing lacrosse, soccer and basketball. When lacrosse season started last spring, things had only gotten worse.

Miller’s father and lacrosse coach, Brian Miller, could also see that his son was having difficulty breathing.

Initially, Miller thought it was his asthma, which had been present for most of his life. However, during the first lacrosse game, he suffered a severe asthma attack and was taken to Elliot Hospital in Manchester. Two days later, the Millers learned that this was more than just asthma.

Brian said the x-ray showed a “giant cloud” covering his son’s chest cavity and on April 10, 2024, Miller was diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic lymphoma.

According to the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, acute lymphoblastic lymphoma is a form of non-Hodgkin lymphoma and accounts for 35 percent of pediatric cancers.

Following the diagnosis, Miller spent the next 23 days at Boston Children’s Hospital, the second-best hospital in the country for treating pediatric cancers, according to US News Health.

Fortunately, there is an 80 percent survival rate for children with acute lymphoblastic lymphoma. With some of the best doctors in the world on his side, the mass in Miller’s chest disappeared within a week. However, the full treatment program will last for two years.

This was also not the Millers’ first battle with cancer as Brian was diagnosed with Ewing Sarcoma years earlier. It was a malignant bone tumor in his right leg that had to be surgically removed.

In January of this year, things took a terrifying turn when one of Miller’s medications formed a blood clot which caused him to have a stroke. In response, his doctors put him on blood thinners to prevent any further complications.

Although Miller had missed his senior seasons in soccer and basketball, he was cleared to return to the lacrosse field after the beginning of the season.

He went on to graduate from Merrimack High School in June and is now a student at Rivier University in Nashua.

Established in 1989, the Jimmy Fund Walk has raised more than $185 million. This year’s event is projected to raise $9.5 million. The walk follows a portion of the Boston Marathon course and is now the largest single-day walk fundraiser in the country.

“For 36 years, the Jimmy Fund Walk has been a cornerstone of support for lifesaving cancer research and patient care at Dana-Farber,” said Caitlin Fink, vice president of The Jimmy Fund.

“Every participant contributes directly to advancing lifesaving research and critically important cancer care. Walk Day is more than just an event, it’s a celebration of hope and the shared commitment of the Jimmy Fund community.”