Brian Godfrey has never met Milana Rufo. But the 20- month-old Salem girl, who was treated for a kidney tumor at the Jimmy Fund Clinic in Boston, will inspire Godfrey as he walks to raise money for cancer care and treatment.

Godfrey, a Salem resident, is a member of Team Textron Defense Systems of Wilmington, Mass., 18 people who will participate in the Boston Marathon Jimmy Fund Walk in Massachusetts on Sunday, Sept. 13.

“It’s really an incredible day,” said Godfrey, whose team has raised more than $300,000 over the last 15 years. “At this event, everyone who’s there wants to be there. They’re all collecting money for the same cause.”

It’s a cause that’s very important to him. Godfrey’s father succumbed to cancer in 1997 at the age of 64. His father had prostate cancer, and when it was discovered, the cancer had already spread to his bones. It later traveled to his brain.

This year’s walk is expected to draw more than 8,000 participants. Routes of various lengths are available, and some participants will walk up to 26.2 miles along the historic route of the Boston Marathon.

Since the first walk was held 20 years ago, more than $60 million has been raised for cancer care and research at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute in Boston.

The Jimmy Fund Clinic is the institute’s pediatric oncology center.

Some of the local people that traditionally support Godfrey’s participation include the Salem Exchange Club, Windham financial advisor Larry Vandevetter, and Joe Ouellette, the Windham owner of Lowell Car Care.

Godfrey tells walkers that once they’ve participated in a Jimmy Fund walk, they’ll continue to participate for the rest of their lives.

“Emotionally, it’s just an incredible day, to be with people doing something so good, so positive,” said Godfrey.

Milana is a member of the event’s heroes program.

Like other children, she puts a public face to the fundraising cause. Their photographs line the walk route to inspire and motivate participants. And many of the heroes join their families along the route to cheer on their teams.

“Walk heroes inspire and motivate our walkers,” said Boston Marathon Jimmy Fund Walk Director Ann Beach. “They enable the walkers to make a personal connection with the many miles they’re logging and dollars they’re raising.”

The experience of being a walk hero distracts the young patients from their treatments and introduces them to new friends, according to organizers. Walkers provide friendship and support to walk heroes and their families.

“It’s just incredible when you see these kids smiling,” said Godfrey, who expects to meet Milana and her parents, Diane and John, at the event. “You know they’re dealing with something treacherous in their lives.”

Last October, Milana was diagnosed with a Wilm’s tumor, a rare kidney cancer that primarily affects children, when she was 10 months old. It was devastating news to her parents.

Her mother was changing her one day when she noticed her trunk was asymmetrical. A tumor on her kidney was pushing her liver forward.

A pediatrician who checked out Milana sent the family to Children’s Hospital in Boston. Surgeons removed the tumor and her right kidney. Six treatments of radiation and eight months of chemotherapy followed, and Milana lost most of her hair.

“They’ve been unbelievably supportive, obviously besides saving her life,” said Diane of the people at Dana-Farber. “It’s such an unbelievable place. Everyone is just so kind and supportive and caring.”

Thanks to the generosity of several organizations, the family received gift cards for gasoline and groceries, a blanket, doll, and care packages. Now, they’re giving back.

In August, Milana was a pedal partner for the 30th annual Pan-Massachusetts Challenge, where more than 5,500 cyclists rode to raise money for Dana-Farber. And Diane is working with parents of other young cancer patients to coordinate blood drives to benefit Children’s Hospital.

To donate go to the Jimmy Fund Web site and find Team Textron Defense Systems, which can be reached by selecting the team drop down areas.

The Web site is: http://www.jimmyfundwalk.org/faf/home/default.asp?ievent=297511.