We're back!
On March 24, I’m putting my head under the shears yet again to honor the courageous children and families fighting childhood cancer and to raise money to find cures to these cancers through the St. Baldrick’s Foundation. In particular, I’d like to honor our friends, the Gerber family, and their son Teddy. His amazing parents, Jessica and Bill, tell Teddy’s story best (http://www.stbaldricks.org/kids/mypage/2435), but I’d like to share a few things about him. February 6th would have been Teddy’s 16th birthday. He was 8 years old and in third grade when he was diagnosed with undifferentiated sarcoma in his chest. After 9 months of grueling surgeries and treatments in New York, New Haven, and Boston, and the associated emotional rollercoaster for Teddy, his parents, and his brother and sister, Teddy passed away in August 2010.
One of Teddy’s most joyful experiences during his illness was the first St. Baldrick's event at our elementary school in 2010. He was the guest of honor and kicked off the evening by shaving his brother's head (every little brother’s dream!), and as the evening wore on, he felt comfortable enough to take off the hooded sweatshirt that was omnipresent during his treatment because he wasn't the only bald kid at school anymore. Beginning that night, our community has raised almost $790,000 through our annual shaves.
Please consider giving to the St. Baldrick’s Foundation and join me in honoring families like the Gerbers. Let's take back childhood from cancer, so kids like Teddy don’t have to be courageous – they can just be kids.
