My nephew, Henry Scott Cermak, was my only namesake and my sister's only child. He was incredibly bright, but his sense of humor had the markings of genius. He loved video games, Legos, SpongeBob, Halloween, and creatures of all kinds. In the summer of 2006, Henry was diagnosed with anaplastic ependymoma, a rare brain cancer. What followed was a two-year journey that included three major brain surgeries, three chemotherapy regimens, 93 rounds of radiation and three clinical trials. Places that I’d only seen in mailers every now and then became household words….St. Judes, Sloan Kettering, Memorial Health. Through it all, I never heard Henry complain. Never. I often tell the story of how he downplayed his surgeries in front his doctors, saying: "It's only brain surgery...they didn't operate on my heart!"


Penton loved Henry. There was only one thing harder than watching my son, at the tender age of 8, experience the loss of his closest cousin. And that was watching my sister and brother-in-law lose their only child at the tender age of 12. There are simply no words that I know of to describe their courage. Relentless, inspiring, committed, amazing, heroic are words that come to mind, but pale in comparison to the reality of these loving parents. Penton, now 10, the age of Henry at diagnosis, will shave his head at the St. Baldrick's event in Hilton Head on March 24th to honor Henry’s life. This is upon his insistence. Not only does Penton favor his image, he also takes after Henry's love of family. I am one proud mom.


I humbly ask for your support of Team Henry's 1-Ups for the St. Baldrick's Foundation. For Henry.