Fairfield Boy's Legacy Lives On With Annual St. Baldrick's Event

FAIRFIELD, CT — The 10th annual St. Baldrick’s/Team Teddy-OHS event will be held on Friday, March 15 at Osborn Hill School (760 Stillson Road), starting at 5:30 p.m. Team Teddy was created to honor Teddy Gerber, who was in third grade at OHS when he was diagnosed with undifferentiated sarcoma, a rare and aggressive type of pediatric cancer. Teddy was recovering from two major surgeries in March 2010, but he was able to attend the event, and even acted as an honorary barber, shaving his dad’s, brother’s, and some friends’ heads.

Less than six months later, he passed away at the age of 9. Team Teddy continues on in his memory and to date has raised more than 1 million dollars. Anyone interested in raising money by having their head shaved can sign up in advance by going to www.stbaldricks.org and typing in “Team Teddy — Osborn Hill School,” or using the link provided below. Or they can sign up in person on the 15th.

For those who don't want to end up bald on the 15th, there are lots of ways to participate — sponsor a shavee by donating money on their head — online or in person. Buy some baked goods. Have some Super Duper Weenie. Buy raffle tickets and maybe you’ll be lucky enough to win one of many gift baskets including Red Sox-Yankees tickets, Billy Joel tickets, Cher concert tickets or a brand-new bike from Cycle Dynamics.

St. Baldrick’s makes special recognition of shavees and volunteers who have participated in events for seven years — they are dubbed “Knights of the Bald Table,” and are praised by the St. Baldrick’s Foundation — “Be it known to all that this participant has dedicated at least seven years of service to the St. Baldrick’s Foundation — helping kids with cancer throughout all the land.”

To date Team Teddy has more than 35 Knights (with at least one more joining up on the 15th), as well as 15 “Knight Commanders” — participants for 10-plus years.

“This is truly a testament to the incredible community who supported Teddy, and who continues to support our family as well as pediatric cancer research funding,” organizers said in a news release.

The St. Baldrick’s Foundation funds more childhood cancer research grants than any organization except the U.S. Government, according to a news release. Thousands of volunteers worldwide have funded more than $225 million in research grants since the foundation was created in 2004. Worldwide, 300,000 children are diagnosed with cancer each year. And in the U.S., more children die of cancer than any other disease — more than AIDS, asthma, cystic fibrosis, congenital anomalies and diabetes combined, the news release states. St. Baldrick’s is committed to funding the most promising research to find cures for childhood cancers and give survivors long and healthy lives.

Visit the Team Teddy — OHS page here; the Team Teddy page here; and Teddy's page here.