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Boy plays golf to raise money for cancer in memory of his friend

For the love of his friend, six-year-old Ryan McGuire set out to make a difference and raise money to fight cancer.

He has done so after his kindergarten classmate, Danny Nickerson, recently died from a rare kind of brain tumor.

“I really liked him, he was really nice to talk to, and I really want to help other people that have cancer,” Ryan told TODAY.com of his friend.

McGuire will play 100 holes of golf in one day at the MGA Links course in Norton, Mass. on June 17 in memory of Nickerson.

According to his fundraising page, McGuire has set his goal to $15,000. And so far, he has already received over $10,000.

All the money raised will go towards the research of Nickerson’s doctor, Dr. Mark Kiernan, at the Dana Farber Cancer Institute in Boston.

McGuire’s ambitious goal is part of a fundraising event hosted by Golf Fights Cancer, a non-profit group where his mother, Cheryl, is the program director.

“I said ‘no’ at first, but then I thought more about it and he was so amped about it,” said Cheryl McGuire about the event.

In April, Nickerson died from Diffuse Intrinsic Pontine Glioma (DIPG) after being diagnosed last year.

In the months leading up to his birthday, Nickerson received mail from strangers around the world, who were touched by his story. After his news of his illness went viral, he received more than 100,000 birthday cards, the Washington Post reports.

On June 17, McGuire will skip school and play the sport he loves in memory of the friend he loved. His classmates will join him on the golf course to cheer him on.

“They said they are going to make signs and some are giving money,” McGuire told TODAY.com.

In a special twist, McGuire’s grandfather, who is also a cancer survivor, will be his caddy.