The 2004 establishment of the Robert F. Terry Jr. Foundation was inspired by Robert "Bobby" Terry, an eight-year-old boy from Walpole, Massachusetts. In December of 2000, shortly before his third birthday, Bobby was diagnosed with a brain tumor. Over the six years of chemotherapy, surgeries, radiation and countless hospital stays, Bobby, his parents, and his three younger siblings showed resilience beyond most people's imagination. Like most families with children suffering from brain tumors, Bobby actually endured the physical effects of his brain tumor, but his entire family shares in its impact. The affects of pediatric brain tumors reach every aspect of a family's life. Families are permanently impacted emotionally, financially, and physically due their child's illness.Health insurance covers very little financially in the overall care of a child with a brain tumor. Resources beyond insurance via social programs are very limited and they rarely meet the needs of these families during such a difficult time. A stressful and exhaustive situation is often exacerbated by the climbing financial burden a sick child. The goal of the Robert F. Terry Jr. Foundation is to help families experiencing the devastating effects of pediatric brain tumors with financial assistance for non-medical expenses. In relation to other pediatric cancers, the number of children with brain tumors is relatively small thereby limiting the financial assistance and research dollars available. Thanks to the generosity of people like you, over the past four years the Foundation has been able to help over 80 families from the Jimmy Fund Pediatric Brain Tumor Clinic at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute ease their burden during unimaginable circumstances
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