Meet Barry, a 4-year-old superhero who mirrors the superheroes he loves and looks up to in his everyday life. When asked who his top favorite heroes are, Barry would say Spiderman, Batman, and Iron Man. While these are all incredible role models and depictions of strength for children all over the world, Barry is truly the real-life superhero—here is his story:
Barry comes from a warm, close-knit family of six, consisting of his mom, dad, baby sister Olivia, their new dog Winston, and his beloved Pop. One of Barry’s favorite things to do is watch movies with his family or spend time playing at the playground and splash pad. But, in May of 2022, the family’s world changed drastically when Barry was diagnosed with Leukemia, and for the past two years, he’s been fighting this battle with the utmost strength and bravery.
Barry’s treatment journey began at Oakland’s Children’s Hospital in California before the family relocated to Norwich, Connecticut. Here, they had to make once a week, roundtrip road trips from their home in Norwich to New Haven and back for Barry to get treated at Yale Pediatric Oncology.
While living in Connecticut and getting treated at Yale, Barry gracefully transitioned into the remission stage of his cancer battle in October, 2022. However, per all cancer protocols, the full treatment process needs to be conducted and finished in order to ensure the best possible outcome and a smaller probability of a relapse.
Compass to Care stepped in during the family’s time in Connecticut, covering the travel costs for Barry’s frequent trips to Yale Pediatric Oncology. In mid-2023, the family relocated to Florida, where Barry continues his treatments at Ascension Sacred Heart Pediatric Oncology. Thankfully, with Barry in remission, his visits have decreased from 1-2 times per week to once a month.
Throughout all the moves, hospital visits, and treatments, Compass to Care has stood by Barry and his family, easing the burden of their frequent transportation expenses. Thanks to the generosity of our amazing donors, we were able to provide 52 trips to and from Yale Pediatric Oncology while they lived in Connecticut, and another 15 trips to Ascension Sacred Heart during their time in Florida to the present. We at Compass to Care are honored to support Barry on his journey toward ringing the bell in celebration of his recovery—projected to be this upcoming Halloween 2024!
Before he could even begin pre-K, which he did in August, Barry faced challenges most of us could never imagine. Yet through it all, his spirit has remained unshaken. From the moment of his diagnosis, Barry has shown the kind of strength and determination that would make any superhero proud. Cancer may be tough, but it is no match for Barry’s hero-like sparkle and resilience.