The Willie Fund is a 501(C)(3) non-profit organization dedicated to raising the awareness of Head and Neck Cancer, advancing the funding for research and helping to fight for a cure.
The Willie Fund was started in honor of William J. Finigan, but known to most as “Willie”, who passed away on August 26th 2021 from Squamous Cell Carcinoma, a type of Head and Neck Cancer.
The Willie Fund works directly with Mass Eye and Ear in Boston and the dedicated doctors who treated Willie, allocating all donations specifically to help fund further research for Head and Neck Cancer.
The mission of this foundation is to advance research of Squamous Cell Carcinoma, and all types of Head & Neck Cancer, with the goal to put an end to this horrible and heartbreaking disease.
Our hope is to ultimately find a cure and put an end to Head and Neck Cancer, so that no one has to lose their loved one as we did Willie.
William “Willie” Finigan was born March 26, 1958 in Cambridge, MA and raised in Concord, MA with his five older siblings. However, when the seasons changed from spring to summer, you would find Bill and the rest of the Finigan clan at their summer home on Cape Cod in North Falmouth, MA.
After graduating from Concord-Carlisle High School, Willie went on to earn his Associate’s Degree from Dean College and Bachelor’s Degree from Roger Williams College. He built a successful career at Mid-Cape Home Centers in Construction Outside Sales and was also an active member of The Concord Battery.
In 1986, Willie met his wife, Courtney, in Boston, and they married in 1988. They shared a beautiful life together, raising three wonderful daughters, Casey, Chloe, and Carly in Falmouth, MA. He was a dedicated father and spent his nearly 31-year-career as “Dad” making sure his girls knew how much he loved them. He was always there to give late night words of wisdom over manhattans, spin you around on the dance floor, and provide corny dad-jokes which were always followed up with, “come on, that was funny!!”. Willie always described his daughters as his “greatest accomplishments.”
Aside from being a devoted husband and loving father, he was an unwavering friend. His loyalty to his friends can be seen in the impressive number of extended friendships he has held throughout his life, many of which are in excess of 50 years long. Willie had a unique gift for making people laugh and ensuring everyone around him felt cared for.
Willie’s legacy of love, laughter, and friendship continues to inspire and uplift those who knew him. He remains forever in our hearts. We honor Willie by dedicating ourselves to finding a cure and putting an end to head and neck cancer. Our mission is to ensure that no one else has to experience the loss of a loved one like we did with Willie.
The Willie Fund is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization committed to raising awareness and supporting the search for a cure of Head and Neck Cancer. Every contribution goes directly to Mass Eye and Ear in Boston, Massachusetts; helping to fund groundbreaking research and the fight to end cancer.
