Following her husband’s cancer diagnosis last month, Patty Freebourn, owner of Patty’s Tamales, is spearheading a fund-raising effort for cancer research, with the Vashon Farmers Market and several island businesses participating.

On Saturday, Freebourn will sell her tamales at the Farmers Market, but instead of charging for them, she will offer them by donation, with all the proceeds going to support research at the Swedish Cancer Institute.

Farmers market manager Caleb Johns said all the vendors will participate in the fundraising effort. Each will determine an amount to donate to a general fund, which Johns will then give to Freebourn, allowing her to determine how it will be best spent.

Right now, Freebourn said, that purpose is research. Should her family have financial needs later, she added, “Patty’s Tamales will just have to sell more tamales.”

In a variety of ways, other island businesses will donate to the cause, Freebourn said, including Thriftway, Vashon Market IGA and Gravy.

Patty Freebourn’s husband, Garrett Freebourn, was diagnosed last month with a rare neuroendocrine cancer. In fact, Patty said, he is only the 25th documented person with this diagnosis. Because of the cancer’s rarity, extensive research has not been conducted, and Freebourn hopes to support work related to it at the Swedish Cancer Institute.

At Swedish Medical Center, spokeswoman Karrie Spitzer said the Swedish Medical Center Foundation accepts donations and awards them based on how the donors want them designated — in this case, for particular research.

Patty Freebourn has not set a monetary goal for Saturday.

“Whatever is collected will be wonderful, and I will be eternally grateful,” she said.