Young cancer survivor celebrates a sweet life at Jimmy Fund Scooper Bowl®

During the first week of June, thousands of people gather at Boston’s City Hall Plaza to celebrate summer at the Jimmy Fund Scooper Bowl^® presented by Walgreens with more than 40 flavors of ice cream, frozen yogurt, and other frozen novelties. Sometimes, the celebrations that take place at Scooper Bowl are about more than frozen desserts. For the Goldwasser family, attending the Scooper Bowl is a celebration of life, hope, and a bright future.

On June 4, 2012, 19-month-old Ari Goldwasser was diagnosed with high-risk t-cell lymphoblastic leukemia. Prior to his diagnosis, he exhibited asthma- and pneumonia-like symptoms. Tests revealed that Ari had a malignant mass in his chest. After 50 straight days of chemotherapy and 2 weeks of radiation, he went into remission on June 4, 2014.

Every year, Ari’s mom, JulieSue, chooses not to reflect on the sadness of her son’s journey. Instead, she focuses on the sweetness of his life with a celebration she refers to as a “cancerversary.”

“June 4 will always be a day we vividly remember. It was scary and traumatic and we did not know what the future held for Ari. That is not how we want to remember that day,” says JulieSue Goldwasser. “Ari is a goofy little boy who loves to tell jokes. It is truly fitting that we celebrate his sweetness with the Dana-Farber community at the Jimmy Fund Scooper Bowl^®. The event has become one of the meaningful ways we are able to give back to the incredible institution that kept Ari alive.”

Join us, this year to celebrate the summer, sun, all the delicious treats, and most importantly, children and adults like Ari.

Will you be attending the 2015 Jimmy Fund Scooper Bowl^®, June 2-4? Purchase your tickets in advance and receive $1 off the price of admission with discount code: ICECREAM

Elizabeth Furilla
Account Manager/Writer, Development Communications