Pay it forward

Sadly, Walsh learned six months after his donation that the teenager had died from an infection just three weeks following the transplant. To honor the lives of the boy and other leukemia patients, Walsh ran in the Honolulu Marathon in December 2000 as a member of the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society’s Team in Training.

Walsh, who now lives in Wellesley, has written a book, “The Marrow in Me,’’ about his experience as a donor and the series of coincidences that brought him to that day.

“My greatest hope is that someone will be inspired to register as a potential donor and turn up as a match for someone somewhere in the world,’’ he said. “I didn’t get my perfect ending, so I want someone else to have it.’’

Walsh will read from his book tomorrow at 7 p.m. at Wellesley Booksmith, 82 Central St. in Wellesley. For more information, go to kevinwalshtv.com.

FROM THE TOP: Cellist James Kim, 16, of Natick, can be heard on a broadcast of “From the Top’’ today at 6 p.m. on WGBH-FM, 89.7. He will be performing David Popper’s “Fantasy on Little Russian Songs, Op. 43,’’ which was taped before a live audience Oct. 4 at the New England Conservatory’s Jordan Hall in Boston.

He was awarded a $10,000 Jack Kent Cooke Young Artist Award by From the Top, a nonprofit organization known for its public radio and television programs featuring young classical musicians. Kim was one of 25 youths selected for a scholarship this year through the Jack Kent Cooke Foundation, in Lansdowne, Va.

Today’s broadcast will also include performances by timpanist Ted Babcock, 17, of Wenham; pianist Adria Ye, 11, of Lake Oswego, Ore.; baritone Sean Plumb, 17, of Los Angeles; and 23-year-old violinist and “From the Top’’ alumni guest Maya Shankar, 23.

Kim, who attends the Walnut Hill School in Natick and studies cello at the New England Conservatory’s Preparatory School, was a first-prize winner in this year’s Boston Symphony Orchestra Concerto Competition. He performed Peter Ilyich Tchaikovsky’s “Variations on a Rococo Theme’’ with the Boston Pops in June.

For more information, visit www.fromthetop.org.

HELP FOR CAREGIVERS: After working for 28 years as a licensed social worker at Lahey Clinic in Burlington, Gloria Barsamian of Newton retired to write a book sharing her research projects and accumulated wisdom. Her most important piece of advice for adult children: Don’t wait until illness or other crisis strikes before involving your elderly parents in formulating a plan for their long-term care.

“Caregiving is a long journey that can be very stressful,’’ said Barsamian, noting that the majority of elders have told her they are less afraid of death than of a time when they can no longer care for themselves. “It’s important to know you don’t have to go it alone.’’

With medical advances enabling people to live longer, Barsamian said, the issue of caring for older family members is becoming increasingly important. In her book, “Sustenance and Hope for Caregivers of Elderly Parents: The Bread of Angels,’’ she addresses the importance of making safety adaptations in the home; the emotional toll of caregiving and the art of balancing families and careers amid its demands; and legal documents such as a will, living will, power of attorney, and health care proxy.

While adult children need to be empathetic and responsive, she said, aging parents must in return respect their children’s needs, abilities, and limitations.

“Caregiving, at its best, is a reciprocal process with rewarding benefits to both parties,’’ she said.

Barsamian will discuss her book tomorrow at 7:30 p.m. at the Newton Free Library, 330 Homer St. For more information, call 617-796-1360, or visit www.newtonfreelibrary.net.

ART ON DISPLAY: Two local residents are among five Middlesex Community College students who will be displaying their artwork in the windows of Lowell’s historic Rialto Building through the end of the month.

The participating artists are Patrick Munroe of Littleton, Pai-Fang Lin of Lexington, Eastman Garcia of Lawrence, and Kosta Gregory and Danny Phoun of Lowell. Their paintings, collages, and cut-paper pieces were created as part of the Lowell Arts Festival.

Built in 1876 at 240 Central St. in downtown Lowell, the Rialto Building is slated to be renovated into a performance space and dance and theater classrooms by Middlesex Community College.

BOSTON COLLEGE NEWS: Newton resident Ann Wolbert Burgess (inset), a professor in Boston College’s William F. Connell School of Nursing, was recently honored by the International Association of Forensic Nurses with an award in her name. The inaugural IAFN Ann Burgess Forensic Nursing Award was presented to her last month. It was established to honor an individual who has made exceptional research contributions to the field of forensic nursing through clinical program development, scientific achievement, legislative changes, or educational activities.

Framingham resident Pamela Grace, an associate professor in the Boston College William F. Connell School of Nursing, was recently awarded a 2009 National Book Award by the Association of Jesuit Colleges and Universities and Alpha Sigma Nu. Her book, “Nursing Ethics and Professional Responsibility in Advanced Practice,’’ won in the health sciences category; she is one of four award recipients nationwide.

Newton resident Maxim Shrayer, who teaches English and Russian at Boston College, has published his 10th book. “Yom Kippur in Amsterdam’’ is about Jewish-Christian relations and the modern immigration experience. Shrayer, a former refusenik who immigrated with his family to the United States from Russia in 1987, founded BC’s Jewish Studies Program.

People items may be submitted to Cindy Cantrell at cantrell@globe.com.