We’re rapidly approaching Timmy Cake Week 2023! 

 

 The Timothy O’Connell Foundation will be celebrating Tim’s life again this year as it bakes his favorite chocolate cake, now called Timmy Cake.  Baking Timmy Cakes was the first fundraiser - and is now the longest lasting fundraiser - for the Foundation.  

The O’Connell Family came up with the idea to start a cake fundraiser because this particular cake was a mainstay of Tim’s “diet” during his treatments.  

The O’Connells hoped that others would love the cake as much as Tim did - and they have!  

This is the 13th (!) year of the Foundation’s Timmy Cakes tradition. (The Foundation was not able to bake in 2020 due to COVID.) Over the last 12 years of baking, more than 3,200 Timmy Cakes have been baked, sold, and enjoyed! 

 When young Tim O’Connell passed away in 2008, The Timothy O’Connell Foundation was founded.  Funds raised by the Foundation over the last 15 years have supported scholarships to Holliston students, donations to Make-A-Wish, Camp Sunshine, Children’s Hospital Boston, The Jimmy Fund, Be the Match (the national bone marrow registry), and to many other organizations that help children and families through pediatric cancer treatment and bereavement. 

 In addition, since 2014, Timmy Cakes and the Foundation have helped support a research laboratory at the University of Minnesota. This research project is named for Tim and researches acute myeloid leukemia with the FLT-3 mutation - the disease that took Tim’s life. The research at the lab is led by Timmy’s doctor from Children’s Hospital, Doctor Peter Gordon. The O’Connells are honored by Dr. Gordon’s dedication to Tim’s memory and they are very happy to help further research of AML.  

 Timmy Cakes are baked each year during the days after Labor Day. This week each year is very significant to the O’Connells. Tim was born on Labor Day Monday, Sept. 7, 1998. He passed away on Tuesday, Sept. 9, 2008, just 2 days after his 10th birthday. Baking during this week is a positive way to honor each date.

 As in past years, Timmy Cakes will be available in Saint Mary’s lobby on Saturday and Sunday, Sept. 9 and 10. Everyone is welcome to come to the lobby from 5 pm to 8 pm on Saturday evening and from 8 am to 1 pm on Sunday. 

Because of the increasing costs of ingredients, a $70 donation is requested for each Timmy Cake. This is just the second price increase in 14 years.   

The O’Connell Family thanks everyone for your continued support of the Foundation’s fundraising in Tim’s memory - and for your great efforts to help make Timmy Cakes successful each year!  

If you would like to volunteer to help bake Timmy Cakes, please contact Joanne O’Connell at [email protected].