Coding for Cancer: A teacher inspires students in STEM and philanthropy

Sherry Knotek is a self-proclaimed, lifelong “nerd.” Motherhood inspired her to leave the corporate world of software engineering to teach technology and STEM at St. Clement’s Regional Catholic School in Saratoga Springs, New York.

“Teaching is where I found my mission. My true calling,” Sherry says. Her students couldn’t agree more. Ask any one of her kindergarten through fifth grade students, her alumni, or their parents, and they’ll all say the same thing: Mrs. Knotek is everyone’s favorite.  

Sherry is passionate about helping more young people become excited about a future in science and technology. “We don’t have enough students pursuing careers in STEM,” she notes. “I want kids to know that a career in technology encompasses so much. They can do anything.”

Some of this passion no doubt comes from Sherry’s shocking diagnosis in 2021: neuroendocrine cancer. Luckily, a friend referred her to Dana-Farber Cancer Institute.

“When I first met my oncologist at Dana-Farber, I was still upset. He handed me the tissue box straight away,” she calls, referring to Matt Yurgelun, MD. “By the time I walked out of my appointment that day, I was smiling. I felt positive. The knowledge he had and the treatment options available at Dana-Farber for my cancer were incredible.”

As someone living with cancer, Sherry knows the importance of research and technology to her treatment. As a teacher, she also understands the impact today’s students will have on the future of cancer care. That’s why Sherry decided to give back to Dana-Farber in a way that’s meaningful to her: by hosting a Junior Jimmy FundRaiser called “Coding for Cancer.”

Coding for Cancer was held on December 10, 2024. Sherry’s students, past and present, broke out into teams and got to work. For an hour, with their heads bowed over their laptops, proudly donning their Coding for Cancer T-shirts, ribbons, and buttons, these dedicated students wrote basic computer code—the backbone of larger, more complex code—like the kind that helps with cancer research.  

The kids were also responsible for their own fundraising leading up to Coding for Cancer. They built and managed their individual fundraising websites, sought out supporters, and competed for first, second, and third place in most funds raised. Altogether, Sherry’s students raised $27,170 for the Jimmy Fund.

At an awards ceremony following Coding for Cancer, top winners received certificates for free ice cream and a coveted “dress down day” out of school uniform. But the greatest reward was seeing how so many students, teachers, parents, and friends came together in support of their beloved teacher—and cancer research at Dana-Farber.

“The great thing about a Jimmy FundRaiser is that it can be whatever you make it,” Sherry notes. “I have friends that have supported Dana-Farber and they’ve held golf tournaments, marathons, walks. I am the least athletic person you’ll ever meet—but I am a nerd and a teacher, so Coding for Cancer was the perfect fundraising solution.”

“I want people to know that the Jimmy Fund touches everyone’s lives,” Sherry continues. “Whether they are our parents, grandparents, children, or friends—we’ve all known someone who has been affected by cancer. With the number of treatments, research, and clinical trials that come out of Dana-Farber, I can’t think of a better way to give back to so many people.”

Sherry is looking forward to making Coding for Cancer a yearly event, and continuing to help her students grow in a love of technology and a passion for philanthropy.

The Jimmy Fund invites students and teachers who are inspired by Sherry’s story to start their own Junior Jimmy FundRaiser. Not a student or teacher? No problem—start an adult fundraiser by visiting My Jimmy FundRaiser.

The Jimmy Fund, established in Boston in 1948, is comprised of community-based fundraising events and other programs that, solely and directly, benefit Dana-Farber Cancer Institute’s lifesaving mission to provide compassionate patient care and groundbreaking cancer research for children and adults. The Jimmy Fund is an official charity of the Boston Red Sox, the Massachusetts Chiefs of Police Association, the Pan-Mass Challenge, and the Variety Children’s Charity of New England. Since 1948, the generosity of millions of people has helped the Jimmy Fund save countless lives and reduce the burden of cancer for patients and families worldwide. Learn more about how you can get involved at JimmyFund.org, and follow the Jimmy Fund on Facebook, X, BlueSky, and Instagram: @TheJimmyFund.