A decade ago, Michelle Cadorette was diagnosed with a rare cancer, malignant thymoma. A revered teacher and cross-country coach, Michelle has endured years of surgeries and chemotherapy with optimism.
“Kids so often see cancer as the end of the road,” Michelle said. “For them to hear about someone who is living a very active life and who also has cancer — I hope it is a good thing for them.”
Michelle’s students at Trinity High School in Manchester, N.H. and now at nearby Bow High School have held many races in her honor, including the Purple Ribbon 5K Run/Walk, now in its seventh year. These races and other gifts have raised almost $90,000 for the Michelle Cadorette Fund for Malignant Thymoma Research, which Michelle’s parents Judith and Edmund Cadorette, established at Mass General Cancer Center.
The fund has been used to create a web site (thymomahope.org), set up the first thymoma tissue bank and subsidizes genetic testing of patients with malignant thymoma, paving the way for new research.
