Tewksbury's Meghan McCarthy 5K Race Helps Fund Cancer Research

TEWKSBURY - The Meghan McCarthy Research Fund will sponsor the Meghan McCarthy 5K on April 9.

Registration is $30 per adult and $15 per high school student.

Money raised goes to the research fund, which was founded in 2011 though Dana Farber to hekp research for high-grade pediatric brain tumors, advance a cure for all cancers, and for high-school scholarship.

According to her obituary, McCarthy, 17, wasca high school senior who received her diploma in a semi-private bedside ceremony days before her Jan.19, 2010 death.

Her passing ended an incredible and inspirational journey that began with a diagnosis of glioblastoma multiforme (brain tumor) in June of her freshman year at Tewksbury Memorial High School.

Her 21⁄2-year journey has been highlighted by the following events: meeting with the Jonas Brothers Band; countless trips to Fenway Park that included a personal meeting with her favorite player Dustin Pedroia; a personal meeting with the Red Sox players at spring training in Fort Myers, Fla.; and a Make-A-Wish "Swim with the Dolphins" at Atlantis in the Bahamas.

Her amazing journey also included :the honor of being a Poster Child for the Stop and Shop's Brain Tumor Awareness Campaign; being a keynote speaker for the annual "Par Fore the Cure" fundraiser( being named one of the Lowell Sun newspaper's Most Fascinating People of 2008; throwing out the first pitch at Dustin Pedroia Day at the LeLacheur Field's Lowell Spinners' baseball game; a Flying Henrys Pedal Partner in the Pan Mass Challenge; and the January 2010 "Hat's Off" recipient offered by the Tewksbury Rotary Club.

In her youth, she was active in Tewksbury Youth Girls Basketball and continued into her senior year as a member of the TMHS Girls Basketball team. She also was active in Tewksbury Youth Soccer. She was a four-year player and senior year captain of the Tewksbury High hockey team, and was also a member of the school's women's track and field team during her freshman and sophomore years, stopping only when chemotherapy moved her to the sidelines.

Along the way, she has raised more than $22,000 toward the fight to cure cancer in the Rally Against Cancer and inspired countless others to donate time or money as well.

Courtesy photos provided by the family of Meghan McCarthy.