FAIRFIELD, Conn. Teddy Gerber once dreamed of finding a cure for cancer. As third-grader at Fairfields Osborn Hill School, he wrote of his dream to become a scientist and stamp the disease out for good.
Teddy didnt live long enough to carry out his dream. But his family hopes that his story can help carry on his mission.
In November 2009, the Gerber family discovered that Teddy had an undifferentiated sarcoma, a rare form of cancer. About 160,000 children receive a similar diagnosis every year, and of those, 32,000 do not survive. Teddy was one of the one in five, said his mother, Jessica, in an email.
Over the next nine months, he underwent rounds of chemotherapy, surgery and radiation. The Gerbers bounced among hospitals in New Haven, New York and Boston, looking for doctors who could help Teddy. But on Aug. 16, 2010, he died in his sleep.
During the ordeal, one of Teddys bright moments came at an event at his school to support St. Baldricks. The charity organization hosts events where kids and adults agree to shave their heads in exchange for donations to childrens cancer research. Osborn Hills 2010 event raised more than $50,000.
He had been so self-conscious about losing his hair from his chemo, but that night, surrounded by friends and family who now were bald like him, he was happy, said Jessica.
The annual event at Osborn Hill carries on in Teddys honor. Last years donations surpassed 2010s total. This years event is slated for March 23 and will carry special significance.
Each year St. Baldricks picks five kids nationwide as ambassadors, whose stories represent the people the organization seeks to help. Teddy was chosen as one of this years honorees. He is the only one of the five chosen posthumously.
Teddy did not die from a lack of care, effort or resources, but from a lack of detailed knowledge about his specific type of cancer, the organization said in its announcement. Teddys family will forever remember him as a smart, funny and sometimes stubborn little boy. They are committed to helping researchers discover better treatments and cures, just as Teddy would have wanted.
To make a donation or sign up to participate in Osborn Hills St. Baldricks event, visit the Team Teddy webpage.
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