Weei/nesn Jimmy Fund Radio-telethon

Derek is a childhood leukemia survivor and was one of the first Jimmy Fund patients treated at age 2. He received spinal taps, bone marrow transplants, and radiation. His cancer cleared in the early 1980s. Years later, Derek was diagnosed with rectal and esophageal cancer. His care team believes the full-body radiation treatment he received as a child in the mid-1970s led to recurrence as an adult. Derek’s treatment includes chemotherapy, radiation, rectal reconstruction, and rehabilitation due to surgical complications. Derek is also diagnosed with cerebral palsy and uses a wheelchair. Today, the rectal tumor shows no evidence of disease, and the esophageal tumor has shrunk. Despite challenges, Derek is working to regain independence. Derek is a 1982 graduate of Brookline High School where he kept track of the baseball team’s books and traveled with them to games. His high school classmates included Theo Epstein and Sam Kennedy. Derek is a lifelong fan of the Red Sox and especially loved the 2004 season. At