A daughter’s love becomes a lifelong mission as Jennifer Scanlon honors her mother’s legacy through her work and her walk.
For Jennifer Scanlon, City of Hope isn’t just a place she works, it’s a calling deeply rooted in personal experience, love, and loss. A seasoned fundraiser with more than three decades of experience in higher education and healthcare, Jennifer discovered an opening at City of Hope in 2024 and felt an immediate pull. Her motivation was clear: “What would Mom want me to do?” That question—and her mother’s memory—led her to a mission that now defines both her professional and personal life.
Jennifer’s mother, Mary Louise Fontana Walsh, was a proud first-generation Italian American. She grew up in Manhattan and Queens, met her husband in New Jersey, and raised three children in the Northeast. A daughter, sister, and later Nonna, she was first and foremost a devoted mom—always on the go, always showing up for others. She lived each day with purpose, determination, courage, and deep humility. Authenticity was at her core, and by her own example, she taught Jennifer and her brothers how to live. She loved them without condition and sacrificed selflessly, without hesitation.
Mary passed away in 2017 after a brave battle with stage 4 ovarian cancer. Like so many women, she spent years prioritizing others and dismissing early symptoms. Diagnosed late, she endured rounds of chemotherapy in Philadelphia but ultimately chose palliative care. In a powerful act of agency, one that reflected her deep authenticity, she made the decision to donate her body to science. “She took back control,” Jennifer recalls. “She decided how she wanted to pass – with dignity and purpose.”
Jennifer still remembers their final weekend together, the bittersweet gift of a last embrace and the words her mother whispered, “You’re one of the strongest people I know.” Today, those words are permanently etched on Jennifer’s skin and soul, in a tattoo that says “strength” and another in Italian: Ti voglio bene – “I love you so much.”
Jennifer channels that love into her work every day. Whether speaking with donors, patients, or community members, her authenticity and compassion shine. “I’ve walked their walk,” she says. “When people see that I understand their pain, their gratitude, or their hope – it forges a real connection.”
Walk for Hope is especially meaningful for Jennifer. It falls just days after the anniversary of her mother’s passing, Oct. 2, 2017, and offers her a powerful outlet to honor that legacy. Last year, she walked alone and still finished as one of Atlanta’s top fundraisers. This year, her brother will join her, and she’s leading a team.
To Jennifer, Walk for Hope is more than a fundraiser. It’s a celebration of life, healing, and the incredible resilience of families touched by cancer. “We see patients in hospitals, in their hardest moments,” she says. “But at Walk, we see them in joy, surrounded by loved ones. That experience…it reminds us why we do what we do.”
Jennifer says it best: “I get to honor my mom every day by doing what I do. I have the best job in the world.”