Gavin Cerney, a beautiful 9 year old boy, was born with severe autism, epilepsy, and ataxia. This rare type of autism, along with his other conditions, has disabled him completely. Gavin has never walked, talked, or been able to communicate in any way. The medicine for his seizures help him slightly, but make him more lethargic. His joy of eating has also been taken from him as his inability to swallow correctly often placed him in the hospital with pneumonia. He is now fed with a feeding tube.
Gavin is in need of 24-hour care. His family continually gives him the best care possible while also raising their 18-month old daughter Gemma. Gavin has been to many hospitals and doctors including Mayo Clinic where at the age of 4 they finally received his diagnosis. It is a challenge this family has never given up on.
Ryan and Katy Cerney are strong, loving, and committed parents to both Gavin and Gemma. They struggle daily with all the special needs, never complaining but remaining positive and grateful for help received from doctors, hospitals, and family. But the costs have added up with no end in sight.
The Cerney family needs our help. Together, we can make a difference for Gavin!
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Since the beginning, One for the Kids has relished the curve ball. Be it our slightly irreverent tagline, a great time for a great cause, or the fact that our original logo was designed on a cocktail napkin, we haven’t exactly been cookie cutter.
Reveling in the unexpected is quintessential One for the Kids. Curve balls at our golf outing have become legendary. They have ranged from skydivers to a mechanical bull and from the Heisman Trophy to a dunk tank. The Curve Ball is a very fun opportunity to give back to Chicago-area charities and a local family in need.
View Photos From Past Curve Balls
The Advocate Children’s Heart Institute (ACHI) began in 1987 with pediatric cardiologists from the University of Chicago, Northwestern and Loyola Universities and Children’s Memorial Hospital. This amazing group of dedicated physicians felt that they could provide optimal care for their pediatric patients in a differently structured environment. They created ACHI, now a nationally renowned center on the Oak Lawn, IL campus of Advocate Christ Medical Center and Advocate Children’s Hospital (now on both the Oak Lawn and Park Ridge, IL campuses).
Special Children’s Charities of Chicago is the fundraising organization of Special Olympics Chicago. Special Olympics provides a competitive forum for thousands of special athletes here in Chicago every year. Both were founded in 1969 for athletes competing in everything from gymnastics to tennis, basketball to track and field.
